The Bloody Devil
by Devlin Dracul
Summary: There were many inmates that escaped Level Six after Blackbeard went to recruit some for his crew. One of them was arguably the most vicious of them all. What will happen to the world, now that a devil has been unleashed upon it?
1. Chapter 1

"Let me out! I wanna be the one to kill Whitebeard!"

"Yeah! Let us out too!"

"Shut up!"

As Ivankov used a Death Wink to silence a bunch of rowdy Level Six prisoners, the Okama Queen inadvertently disturbed the sleep of one of the inmates in the back. He was a handsome man, looked no older than twenty. He had tanned skin, despite being in the very depths of the infamous prison. He was also quite muscular, but had a fairly slim body. Compared to many of the inmates, he looked a bit... unimpressive. Almost harmless. It was hard to believe he was a Level Six inmate.

He opened one of his blood red eyes to see what disturbed his sleep. He saw the infamous revolutionary leader, Ivankov; the ex Warlord, Sir Crocodile; another Warlord, Jinbei; and a young boy wearing a Straw Hat. Finding no interest in any of them, the young man just closed his eyes, and went back to sleep. He dreamed of the good old days... before he was imprisoned.

* * *

"Captain Vlad! We've spotted the Oro Jackson!"

"Roger, huh? Intercept him. He usually has something interesting on that ship of his."

"Sir!"

As the ship collided with the Oro Jackson, the pirate Captain known as Vlad jumped onto the enemy ship. "Been quite some time, Roger."

"Hello, Vlad." Before the captain stood the future King of the Pirates, Gol D. Roger, his usual smile on his face. "I'm glad I got to see you again."

Roger always said that to him, but something about it seemed different. Vlad took a few whiffs, and looked displeased. "So... it's gotten worse, has it?"

"Yeah. I don't have much time. Might be the last time you and I get to dance like this."

Vlad just stared at the man before puncturing his palm and creating a sword of blood. "Then I better make this count. If I remember correctly, it's twenty-five wins, sixty-nine ties, and twenty-five losses, correct?"

Roger drew his own sword. "Yeah. Completely tied. Better brake that, huh?"

The two captains then began to duel. The clashes between their swords shook the ocean, and even split the skies. The two were greatly enjoying themselves, not even realizing that their own crews were fighting one another. "CAPTAIN VLAD!"

Vlad never took his eyes off of Roger. "What?"

"IT'S NEWGATE!"

Vlad's expression didn't change at first. Then, a smirk appeared. "How interesting. My record with him is tied as well. Guess I can take both of you down at once."

Roger gave a hearty laugh. "You always were a crazy one, Vlad. And you wonder why the Government is calling you the Bloody Devil. You're as crazy as one!"

"Got a complaint, old friend?"

"Nope." The two then began to continue their duel, as the Moby Dick got closer.

"Oi, Roger! It looks like you're having a good time with Vlad!"

"Would you like to join in, Newgate?! Vlad thinks he can take us both on!"

"And I'm about to prove it."

"Heh, stubborn bastard. Don't think just because you're older than us that you're better than us!"

"Then show me, boy!"

"Gladly!" Edward Newgate, the man who would one day be known as Whitebeard, the Strongest Man in the World, jumped from his great ship onto the Oro Jackson. He dueled against Roger and Vlad, and the three started an awesome battle... that was sadly erased from history. Their battle caused many storms, thunder claps, and even hurricanes, but all three didn't care. They were too busy enjoying one hell of a fight. However, as the fight progressed, it was obvious... that Vlad was losing.

The combined forces of the Roger Pirates and the Newgate Pirates, the future members of the legendary Whitebeard Pirates, was too much for even the infamous Bloody Pirates. Many of the members lost their lives, until Vlad was all that was left. Then, it was time for his defeat. The combined strength of Roger and Whitebeard was too great for him. He could tell his defeat was close... when he saw Roger cry. Guess it really would be their last fight. Roger ran up to Vlad, and slashed him into the air.

As Vlad stayed afloat in the air, he saw Newgate in a strange stance. "Vlad! This is the first time I have ever used this power! . . . It's been an honor, and I'm glad you were the first person I got to use this on!" As Vlad fell, he saw a strange power surround Newgate's fist. Then, that fist smashed into his side. Vlad literally watched the air around him shatter. It felt like he was punched with the force of an earthquake. The punch sent the captain flying into his ship. His body was like a cannonball, destroying his once proud ship.

As he sat on the floor of the crumbling ship, he watched as the Oro Jackson and the Moby Dick sailed away. As he watched them disappear into the horizon, he couldn't stop the smile on his face. It was his loss. Guess even he couldn't take those two on at once. He was in so much pain. His organs were pretty much destroyed. He could feel himself bleeding internally. To fix that, he controlled his blood. He was willing it to quicken his body's natural healing, already repairing the damage. This was really easy for him to do, since he ate the Blood-Blood Fruit.

A Paramecia that gave him complete and total control over his blood. It also made him into a pseudo-vampire. He was fortunate enough to be born with AB+ blood, so he can drink the blood of anyone, and use their blood to heal him. If he finds someone with AB+ blood, and it's healthy and young, he can completely exchange his blood for theirs, making a youth a literal Fountain of Youth for him. This ability made him practically immortal. He also found a way to control someone using his own blood. One drop is all that is required. One cut, one scratch, or even so much as one touch from any of his blood weapons would infect someone, and he'd be able to make them into his puppet. Since he's AB+, his blood is very dangerous to anyone who doesn't have the exact same blood type. The unfortunate victim's body would completely reject Vlad's blood, and cause the host to suffer unimaginable pain, sometimes even causing death.

Vlad also found brutal ways to execute his enemies this way. He can make his enemies' blood turn to needles, and impale them from the inside out. He can make their blood cells swell like balloons, and make their bodies explode like a water balloon. The most terrifying aspect is that the more blood Vlad comes in contact with, the more powerful he becomes. If he cuts one enemy, and uses their blood to cut the other, the pattern would continue until everyone around him was his puppet. Only men with extraordinarily strong wills, like Roger and Whitebeard, could resist. Anyone else would either become a puppet, or fuel. Vlad once killed enough men to create a giant made of blood, and used it to destroy a fleet of Navy ships.

He truly was a Bloody Devil. An absolute monster. Yet, even his power had limits. Creating that giant taxed him so much, he slept for weeks. His healing ability was also taxing. By the time he was done, and out of the red zone, he immediately fell asleep. During his sleep, he heard the sound of boots hitting the floor of his destroyed ship, and the sound of voices.

"T-That's Vlad Tepes, the Bloody Devil!"

"What's he doing here?! . . . He looks like shit."

"Reports indicate that the Oro Jackson and Moby Dick were fleeing the vicinity."

"You mean this bastard fought both Roger and Newgate at once?! He's nuts!"

"And yet he's still alive. He's still breathing. Cuff him and take him to Impel Down."

"Tch. Like that place is gonna hold a monster like that. Bet he can break out of even Level Five."

"Then place him in the new Level Six. I don't think even he will be able to escape from there."

That was the last thing Vlad had heard. The next thing he knew, he was in a dark cage, with seastone cuffs around his wrist and ankles. It severely weakened him, but he could still feel his powers.

"Well, well. Aren't you a pretty one."

Vlad looked up to see an ugly and obese man. He had a lecherous look on his face. Vlad sniffed the air around him. "Well, isn't this convenient. You're younger than me."

"Heh. Liar. I'm twenty-eight, and I don't look nearly as good as you. And damn do you look good." The man licked his lips.

Vlad continued to sniff the air. "You're AB+, like I am." The man looked confused. His eyes were wondering how this kid knew his blood type. "And what's more curious, despite your appearance and physique, you're quite healthy. What a kind gift." Before the man knew what happened, Vlad rushed before him in the blink of an eye.

The man felt fear when he looked into Vlad's eyes. They were the eyes of a hungry devil. Then, the man felt like his body was being drained, and then filled with something else. It felt disgusting. When he felt Vlad release him, he looked at his hands. They were wrinkled and looked so brittle. He touched his face to discover that his face was saggy and wrinkle. He heard the sound of dripping, and looked behind him to see a puddle. He struggled to drag his body over towards the puddle. When he looked, he was horrified to see that he looked like a man in his late eighties.

"Thank you for the meal."

The man looked behind him to see the man he would try to have his way with. He looked even younger than before. At first, he looked like he was in his late twenties, now he looks like a damned teenager. The man wanted to yell, but he couldn't. He couldn't do anything. His body was too weak. Then, he felt nothing. The man fell to the cold floor, dead from an aged body. Vlad just stared at the body, before sitting down and sleeping in a corner. That was over forty years ago.

* * *

"Zehahahaha! So you think you bastards are gonna spend the rest of your lives in here, huh?!" A loud voice woke Vlad from his dream. He opened up an eye to see an obese man with four other men at his side. "Well, how 'bout this?! Start fighting! Those of you left will get to sail out of here with me!"

This caused an uproar in all of the cells. The inmates started to fight, even in Vlad's cell. However, he didn't care in the least. He had no intention of ever being a pirate ever again, let alone be someone's underling. Even in the depths of Level Six, the death of Roger reached him. With his death, he saw no reason to continue sailing if the only person who could bring any excitement in his life was dead.

None of the inmates tried to attack him. Some of the newer ones saw no reason to attack a sleeping loser, but ones who have actually gotten to know Level Six knew that he was the absolute last person they would want to fight. Eventually, Vlad heard nothing. It seems the fighting was over.

He opened his eyes to see that the door was wide open. Having been bored of Impel Down, he followed the crowd of escaping inmates. He walked at his own pace while they ran like bats out of hell. As he walked, he caught the sent of blood. As he continued to walk, he found the source of the sent.

Magellan, the warden of Impel Down, was lying on his back in a pool of his own blood. The left side of his face had a huge cut on it. He was wheezing, struggling to breath. He was practically at Death's Door. Even in that state, he was still able to look up, and was shocked by what he saw. He actually coughed up a bit of blood. "No. Not you. Anyone, but you." Vlad just looked down at the Warden, who was struggling to at least move a finger. As he did this, Vlad could feel more of Magellan's blood vessels rupture from the intense strain he was putting on his body. He was killing himself. "I don't care who else leaves this place. I need to make sure you of all people don't leave this place."

Vlad just continued to look down at the warden, his eyes completely unreadable. Magellan felt his blood run cold when he saw the Bloody Devil reach his hand towards him. Magellan thought Vlad was going to going to kill him using one of those nightmarish blood techniques. Magellan closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable touch of death. He felt Vlad's hand, but he didn't feel pain. He was still breathing. He was still alive. But he did feel something. He felt... better?

That's when he realized it. Vlad was healing him. He was controlling Magellan's blood, making it hasten his body's natural healing process. His ruptured organs were being repaired, along with his previously destroyed blood vessels. When Vlad removed his hand, Magellan felt like he was strong enough to at least stand, but he still had no strength to fight. He couldn't even activate his Devil Fruit powers. He looked at his healed body before looking at a slowly retreating Vlad. His confusion quickly turned to rage. "WHY DID YOU HELP ME?!" Vlad didn't stop walking. "IS THIS SUPPOSED TO BE YOUR PITY?!"

"I guess you could call it that." Magellan was caught off guard. "I healed you just because I could. Nothing more, nothing less. Don't try to overthink it, kid."

Magellan just stared at the ex-pirate in astonishment, before growling. "DON'T EXPECT ME TO THANK YOU!"

"I don't."

"THIS ISN'T OVER, TEPES! THE GOVERNMENT WILL NEVER LET A MAN AS DANGEROUS AS YOU RUN FREELY! YOU WILL BE HUNTED! YOU WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO IMPEL DOWN!"

Vlad just waved back. "Keep telling yourself that, kid. If they do send someone, tell them I wish them good luck. Enjoy the rest of your day, boy."

Magellan watched as the Bloody Devil disappeared into the darkness. As he continued to growl at the direction, he fell to his knees in shame. He felt tears flow from his eyes. He had failed at his duties as the Warden. Not only did he allow Level Six inmates to escape, he allowed the most dangerous man since Gold Roger to not only leave freely... but to actually save his life. Magellan wished he had a knife or sword. He so desperately wanted to commit seppuku. Instead, all he could do was scream in absolute anguish, a sound that not only shook Impel Down, but caused many of the inmates and even prison guards to shake in fear.

"Damn. That boy can scream." Vlad looked up into the sky. "It's been so long. It's still as beautiful as I remember." He took a deep breath. "And the air is just as clean and salty as ever. How I've missed this."

Vlad looked around. It seems many of the ships have already been taken, and by brutal force. There were so many bloody corpses an the pier. These marines tried their hardest to prevent their escape, but they were brutally outmatched. There wasn't a single Level Six corpse to be seen. Vlad walked through the path of death, relishing in the feeling of blood on his feet again. Every step literally made him stronger and stronger, absorbing the power of these poor, unfortunate souls.

Absorbing blood has another useful ability. He can see their memories, and know what they know. Some of these men knew an interesting set of skills. The Six Powers. Only two of them caught his attention. The Finger Pistol and the Tempest Kick. He didn't need Moonwalk. He had a skill that already helped him fly. If he hardened his blood and used Armament Haki, he had his own Iron Body. If he doped on his own blood, he could be faster than the Shave technique. Observation Haki was far more advance than Paper Art could ever be. The Finger Pistol had potential. Piercing his enemies with his finger, especially one covered with his own blood, would be quite useful. Tempest Kick could be a useful attack for long-range combat. It seems the World Government has improved quite a bit since his imprisonment.

Vlad saw one ship. It was the last one. He was honestly surprised it was still here. He expected all of the ships to be gone by now. As he got closer, he could smell blood. Freshly spilled blood, and more was being released.

Vlad walked up the plank in time to see a man gut a marine with his bare hands. The man was laughing as he did it. As Vlad stepped on a creaky floor board, the man turned around. Despite being covered in blood, he was quite handsome. He had ice-blue hair and eyes, deathly pale white skin, and a muscular body. He had a vicious smile, which allowed Vlad to see his well defined canines. They looked like the fangs of a wolf. "Well, well. Looks like I've got a fresh one." The man prepared for a fight.

Vlad sensed great power from this man. It was obvious he was also a Level Six inmate. "Shouldn't you be trying to leave?"

"Heh, I can do that later. I'd rather fight first."

"Even though you can't go all out?" Vlad knew it. He could smell a Devil Fruit power coursing through this man's blood. The sea prism cuffs on his wrists barely dampened the scent.

"Huh? How can you tell?"

"I have my ways."

"Hm. Well, it doesn't matter. I'm still gonna beat the life outta ya!" The man then charged at Vlad. To any normal man, he'd look like a blur. But Vlad as fought the likes of Roger. This man might as well be moving in slow motion. Vlad easily grabbed the man's arm, and slammed him onto the deck. The man stared at Vlad with shock. "Whoa! Who the hell are you?"

"Vlad. Vlad Tepes."

"Vlad, huh?" The man gave a feral smirk before jumping back to his feet. "Name's Hoarfen. Tell that to the Devil after I send ya to him." Hoarfen tried to attack Vlad with a barrage of slashes from his sharp, claw-like fingernails; but Vlad was able to dodge all of them and even land a palm strike that sent Hoarfen skidding across the deck. He placed his hand over the wound, and looked up at Vlad with a look of pain. "Damn, you're good. I really should go all out against you. Wish I could."

"I can arrange that." Vlad then appeared behind Hoarfen, and grabbed his collar. Using his powers, Vlad created two wings of blood, using the spilled red fluid around him. Before Hoarfen knew what was happening, he saw that he was flying through the sky at breakneck speeds. He actually screamed in excitement. It was that awesome.

In about ten minutes, Hoarfen was dropped on his butt. He looked around to see his was on what looked like a deserted island. Then, he heard something hit the sand. He saw that it was his cuffs. He felt his power return to him almost immediately. He looked behind him to see Vlad standing with his arms crossed. "Well, that was fun." Hoarfen stood tall, cracking his knuckles. "But you're gonna regret doing that."

"And why is that?"

Hoarfen gave a feral smile. "'Cause I ate the Dog-Dog Fruit, Mythical Type: ICE WOLF!" Hoarfen started to transform. Vlad looked down to see the ground was starting to freeze. He also noticed the sky was getting cloudy, and a large shadow appeared over him. He looked up to see a colossal ice wolf snarling at him. He had fought giants in his day, but this wolf was even bigger than an Elbaf giant. Though it was intimidating, it was also beautiful. The majestic form of the wolf, with fur as blue as ice, sparkling like a diamond, with teeth as white as snow. Vlad felt no fear as he stared at the great beast. He was studying the giant predator. Hoarfen licked his lips as he stared hungrily at Vlad. "Thanks for the grub."

Hoarfen charged at Vlad with lightning speed. Speed that a beast that size has no right having. Hoarfen chomped the area Vlad was at, and looked at his work. There was nothing there. He didn't taste anything either. He just assumed he ate the small man in one gulp by accident.

"Up here."

Hoarfen looked up in shock in time to see Vlad falling towards him. Hoarfen swore he saw blood covering one of Vlad's legs. In a split second, Vlad slammed a heel kick right between Hoarfen's eyes. His eyes rolled back into his head, and his body was smashed into the ground. Only one other person has beaten him this badly before. As Hoarfen fell into unconsciousness, he thoughts went to his ex-captain, Kaido.

Hoarfen was awakened with a splash of water. He sputtered as he jumped up from the rude awakening. He looked around to see he was on what looked like a snow island.

"Good morning."

Hoarfen looked over to see Vlad leaning against a tree with his arms crossed, but Hoarfen noticed something different about him. He wasn't wearing the prison uniform. Instead, he was wearing a blood red collared shirt, blue jeans, finger-less black gloves, and a pair of combat boots. Hoarfen also noticed Vlad was wearing a gold cross necklace. Was he religious or something, or was it just to make him look cool?

Hoarfen looked down at himself. He noticed that he wasn't wearing the uniform either. He was also wearing a collard shirt, except his was as blue as his hair. His jeans were black, with a rip on it's left knee. He was also wearing combat boots. Unlike Vlad, he wasn't wearing gloves or any accessories, but he still approved of his new look. "Where'd you get the nice threads?"

"The men over there were kind enough to donate theirs. Said the clothes we were wearing were no good. Made us look too much like criminals."

Hoarfen looked towards the direction Vlad was looking at. He saw... a massacre. The men were obviously pirates. You could tell just by looking at them. Well, at what was left of their faces anyway. All that was left were pools of blood, and body parts scattered around the trees. Some of the arms and legs were missing toes and fingers. Hoarfen actually saw some crows eating the missing digits. The decapitated heads all had a look of horror and dread, as if they were killed by the Devil himself. Some of their faces were so torn up, that you could see their skulls, and even their brains. It was such a gory and nightmarish sight. Hoarfen whistled at the sight, impressed by what he saw. "Damn, you're brutal. You're one scary bastard, you know that?"

"You have no idea."

"Seriously, how long were you in Level Six? You must have been the head honcho or something."

"Too long. Let's just leave it at that."

"I hear ya. I've only been in that snore fest for less than a year, and it's ten years too much." That explained so much. No wonder this boy challenged Vlad so readily. Anyone who has spent a good amount of time in Level Six knew that fighting Vlad is undoubtedly a death sentence. Yet, when Vlad looked into Hoarfen's eyes, somehow he knew... that he would have challenged him regardless. Vlad already liked the boy.

Vlad was taken out of his thoughts when he heard Hoarfen's stomach growl. "Ugh, I'm so hungry." Hoarfen looked towards the corpses. "Mind if I eat those?"

"Yes. Those are for the animals. If you eat anyone, it's going be a fresh kill that you yourself caught. Understand?"

Hoarfen was actually surprised this guy gave him permission to eat anyone at all. He expected Vlad to freak out when he found out Hoarfen was a cannibal. But, then again, Vlad was obviously a remorseless killer. He seriously liked this guy. "Yeah. Fresh kills taste better anyway. So, what are we gonna do?"

"We? You want to travel with me?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"'Cause you're strong." Vlad raised an eyebrow at the answer. "And wherever the strong go, excitement is always bound to follow. If I stick with you, I'm sure I can raise all kinds of hell." Vlad just stared at the man. "And don't even try to so 'no'. I'd follow you, whether you like it or not."

Vlad just stared at the man before walking away. "Do as you please."

"I plan on it. So where the hell are you going."

Vlad held out a large bag that was obviously filled with treasure. "Our sponsors were kind enough to give me some spending money. I'm going to see if that town up ahead has anything decent to eat."

"Sounds like a plan, I guess. Though, I'd much rather just kill and eat then pay and eat."

"I have no desire to attract the attention of the Navy this early."

"Fair enough."

The two found the town Vlad was talking about, and sat at a small coffee shop. Vlad ordered a cup of coffee, while Hoarfen asked for a rare steak. Vlad noticed a flock of carrier birds flying towards the town. If his wanted poster was among the news, he'd have to slaughter everyone in the small village. He caught one of the falling newspapers, and began to read as he drank his coffee. The front page was quite interesting. It actually hurt him a bit. First, Roger died. Now he found out about Newgate. That his old rival, who was called Whitebeard, has-

"Died!" Vlad looked up to see a cheering villager.

"That means the Whitebeard Pirates are finished too!"

A man was hugging a woman happily. "The war is over now!"

The woman looked up at the man happily. "Now we can live in peace."

"AW, DAMMIT!" The cheering villagers looked at a fuming Hoarfen. "I wanted to kill the old geezer. He's the reason I was thrown into Impel Down in the first place." The joy of the villagers turned to fear after hearing that. They watched as the man took a huge bite out of his meat. "Aw, whatever. Least I can go crazy on one of his islands now that he's dead. Yo, Vlad! Wanna help me slaughter these people?"

The villagers looked towards where the man was directing his question, and were surprised to see an extraordinarily handsome man. However, one of the village elders fell back in fear. "No. Impossible. It can't be him. The Bloody Devil is dead."

Now the villagers were really scared. They all looked at the man as he placed his coffee back onto the table. "No." They felt slightly relieved. "You can slaughter all of them yourself. Kill to your heart's content, Hoarfen."

Now the villagers were beyond terrified. Hoarfen was a fairly new name, but he had a bloody legacy. He was a high ranking member of Kaido's crew, and was thought to be the next Calamity. He was known as the Great Eraser, since nothing was left behind of the villages he attacked. Food, houses, plants, and even the bodies of his victims were all "erased" wherever he went. The villagers felt like they were staring at Death himself when they saw Hoarfen's glowing blue eyes. "Yay. I'm gonna love traveling with you, Vlad."

Hoarfen began to transform, but this time into his hybrid form. He looked like a werewolf. He even released an ear-splitting howl that actually broke many of the glasses and windows. Vlad created a barrier with his blood to defend against the sound wave. He never looked up from his newspaper, but he could still sense and hear the entire scene.

The towns people tried to run, but most barely got three steps away before being either impaled by Hoarfen's claws or just had their necks torn off by his fangs. The most unfortunate victims had their limbs torn off. Some were even split perfectly in half.

Vlad had to move his coffee cup to avoid any flying body parts from hitting it. He didn't mind the blood spilling on him, but he wasn't about to let his tasty coffee go to waste. Then, he heard a heavy thud land near him. He looked down to see the torso of the young woman who was hugging the young man before. Hoarfen completely ripped her legs off, and the poor girl was still alive.

"Why?" Vlad just stared at her, eyes completely devoid of sympathy. "Whitebeard died. We were supposed to finally live in peace."

"Didn't you live in peace before?"

"How is living in fear a peaceful life?"

"Fear? So Whitebeard demanded payment from you?" The girl was silent, but still alive. "Did he demand treasure?" Silence. "Did he demand food?" Silence. "Did he demand your women?" Silence. "Did he demand anything from you?" The girl was silent... until she started to cry.

"No. He just said our island was under his territory."

"And were you ever attacked by other pirates?"

"No."

"Has anyone been killed or stolen while this island was under his protection?"

"No."

"Then you are a fool. Now that Whitebeard has died, there was absolutely nothing stopping a group of pirates from pillaging this pathetic village."

The girl was now heavily crying. "We rejoiced... the death of our guardian?"

"Indeed. And through the hand of cruel fate, it was I who landed on this island. However, even if I hadn't, this island would have been attacked by a group of pirates or criminals eventually. It was only a matter of time." The girl's tears did not stop flowing. When she thought about it, her life was the definition of peaceful. She had a devoted lover, a safe home, and no need to fear the attack of pirates. The pirate that protected her island asked for nothing in return, so why did she fear him? The moment he died, her perfect life was destroyed. "And now, for the sin you have committed against your protector, you shall receive your just punishment." And with that, Hoarfen, now in his full wolf form, clamped his teeth around the girl's bloody stumps. The last thing that was heard was her scream as Hoarfen ate her like a wolf eating a piece of raw meat. Vlad could even hear her bones breaking.

Hoarfen returned to his human form, happily patting his still slim stomach with a content look. "Ah, that his the spot."

The village was completely destroyed. Vlad couldn't sense a single living thing, animal or plant. All the houses and buildings were destroyed as well. "You missed something."

"Hm?"

Vlad walked away from his table and pointed a thumb towards the coffee house. Hoarfen smiled. "I love you, Vlad."

There was absolutely nothing left of the village. There was no sign of any settlement. Hoarfen even destroyed the pier and all but one of the ships the village had. The two criminals boarded the ship, and sailed away.

"So, what now, Boss?"

"Who knows? For now, we'll let the sea decide our destination."

Fortunately, the ship the criminals carried was a food transport ship. It was filled with different fruits and vegetables, but to Hoarfen's annoyance, no meat. However, that was quickly changed with the arrival of the Sea Kings. The two monstrous men easily killed whatever attacked them, and had plenty of meat.

Days had passed, and a news bird was seen. Using his blood, Vlad stole a newspaper. He was impressed by what he saw on the front cover. "Monkey D. Luffy. . . . What an odd boy."

Hoarfen looked at the newspaper Vlad was reading. "That kid actually rung the Ox Bell at Marineford? Kid's got balls, I'll give him that."

"Indeed." Vlad looked out towards the sea with a dark smirk. "Seems we might have some fun after all."

 **Omake:**

Sengoku was sitting on a piece of rubble to get at least a little rest after the war at Marineford. Even though the Navy technically won, it felt like the furthest thing from a victory one could get. His day got worse when a soldier told him that some Impel Down Level Six inmates escaped, and the Government didn't want to put out wanted posters. The reason was so they could save face, which infuriated Sengoku.

"THEY JUST WANT TO LEAVE SOME OF THE MOST DANGEROUS AND VISCIOUS CRIMINALS OUT IN THE WORLD TO SAVE FACE?! IF THEY WRECK ANY KIND OF HAVOCK, IT WILL DO MORE THAN RUIN THE GOVERNMENT'S REPUTATION! IT'LL COST THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT LIVES!"

"I'm sorry, sir! But, we still have orders to keep this under wraps."

Sengoku looked down at the ground, tightly gripping his hands until they practically bled. "At least tell me a name."

"Sir?"

"Tell me at least one reported name, so that I can hunt them down myself."

Sengoku didn't get an immediate answer. Confused, he looked at the officer, who was sweating in fear. "W-We have one confirmed name. He was identified by Warden Magellan himself."

"Well? What are you waiting for? Tell me the criminal's name."

The officer swallowed in fear. "I-It was Vladimir. Vladimir 'Vlad' Tepes. . . . T-The Bloody Devil."

Sengoku's eyes widened, and his blood went cold. "No. Please, no. Tell me it was someone else. By all that is holy, let it be someone else."

"No, sir. It was him. The Bloody Devil is free."

Sengoku was shocked beyond words. He still remembers the day he first saw that... devil. Of all the pirates he has ever see or fought, that _creature_ was the only thing he had ever considered to be the Devil incarnate. He was just a cadet on a Vice Admiral's ship. The Vice Admiral tried to intercept and attack the ship of the Bloody Pirates. It was a one-sided massacre. The marine officers were totally overpowered. Not a single one that tried to fight back survived. The ones who were actually too afraid to fight were sparred. Sengoku was one of the only exceptions. Though he tried to fight, he was still spared... by Vlad himself. Instead, he saw a more viscous sight.

He watched Vlad drain the Vice Admiral of every last bit of blood he had, and saw the aged pirate become younger and younger. Sengoku will never forget those eyes. Those cold, merciless, crimson eyes. "Tell your superiors, 'thank you for the feast'." Those words were like swords piercing his very spirit. He was completely frozen in place as he watched Vlad and his crew sail away, leaving only a hand full of marines still alive. That was the last time Sengoku ever saw Vlad, and he was happy about it. One of the best moments in his life was when he learned that the Bloody Devil was finally captured. Now, one of the worst moments of his life had occurred.

"He's free? The Bloody Devil is free?" No matter how many times he said it, Sengoku just couldn't believe it. Or rather, he didn't want to believe it.

"Fleet Admiral, what should we do?"

Sengoku was silent, his eyes hidden behind the shine of his glasses. Then, he did something that frightened the soldier. He chuckled. "Nothing. I can't stop that man. I don't think anyone in the Navy can. Besides, it's no longer my problem. I have failed in my duties as the Fleet Admiral one too many times. For that... I will resign from the post of Fleet Admiral."

 **A/N: And so begins the tale of arguably the most dangerous Level Six escapee. Who will he meet? Who will he fight? Who will he kill? What will he see? Guess all you can do is wait and see. Please leave a review. Believe it or not, reviews can greatly influence a story, usually for the better. Until the next chapter or story. Truth be told, I had already deleted this story once already. A friend of mine convinced me it would be too difficult to continue. However, I have been thinking more and more about Vlad lately. Besides, a story where the main character is the villain is extremely rare. Personally, the only example I can think of is Death Note. If any of you know any animes that have a villain for a main character, and not an anti-hero (like Hellsing, for example), please recommend it to me. Might help out with progressing this story. . . . Light should have won the moment he killed L. The way he lost just plain sucked. So did Neir. Nowhere near as fun as L.**


	2. Chapter 2

It has been three days since Vlad and Hoarfen escaped Impel Down, and two days since Hoarfen completely destroyed the village they landed on. Vlad was staring at the sea, feeling the wind blow through his hair while eating an apple. He missed this pleasant experience. As he basked in the feeling of freedom after forty years, he sensed something flying over him. He looked up to see that it was a news coo.

He bit his hand to draw blood, and used it to grab a newspaper before the coo could fly too far away. He took another bite into his apple as he began to read the paper.

"Anything interesting happen," Hoarfen asked as he walked over to Vlad, eating a raw piece of Sea King meat.

"Actually, yes. It seems that a young pirate has gone to the ruined Marineford to ring the ox bell."

"Huh?" Hoarfen went over to look, and saw the kid. "Little bastard's got brass balls. The hell is he doing? Praying?"

"More like honoring the fallen." Vlad analyzed the picture. He has a habit of doing that, just in case he could find a weakness to exploit his enemies with. That's how he noticed something. "What an odd tattoo."

"Tattoo?"

"His right arm."

Hoarfen looked. "3D, 2Y? The hell does that mean?"

"The 3D is crossed out. Maybe it's some kind of message."

"To who?"

"His crew." Vlad then went back to analyzing the picture. When he did, something caught his eye. "Wait a minute. That hat. I've seen it before. . . . Roger's cabin boy."

Vlad then thought of one of his many fights with Roger, specifically the first time he had met the brave, young, red haired boy that actually tried to fight him.

* * *

"Captain Vlad! We're ready to invade the Oro Jackson!"

"Good. Follow me, you murderous dogs!" The men roared in excitement, especially when they saw their captain jump onto the Jackson, and killed a man the moment he landed.

The two crews were fighting like wild wolves, both sides suffering casualties. Only Vlad himself remained unharmed. Most of the men that tried to attack him were killed with one slash from his blood blade, but he didn't care. "Where are you, Roger?"

As he searched, he saw a red blur racing towards him. Vlad swung his sword, expecting to gut the foolish attacker, but was surprised.

The opponent jumped right over his attack, and tried to slash his head. Vlad easily blocked the attack, still very much surprised. Then, he swung his sword downward, trying to cleave the opponent. However, his enemy blocked the attack. "Oh."

Underneath his sword of blood was a boy in a straw hat, using both of his hands to hold up Vlad's sword, who was only using one hand. The boy looked up with a smirk, eyes brimming with confidence. "So you're the Bloody Devil? The captain's said a lot about you. Though, I gotta say, you're way tougher than he made you out to be."

"Is that right?" Vlad then swung his sword in a way that made the boy skid away.

The boy hissed in pain. "Damn. And I thought Whitebeard was a heavy hitter. No wonder the captain respects you so much."

Vlad smirked at the boy's words. Then, his reflexes kicked in. He ended up catching something. It felt like a wrist. He looked to see that it was a dismembered hand holding knives... and it wasn't a cut off hand either. "Ah, the Chop-Chop Fruit."

"Hands off my hand!" Vlad didn't even look towards the direction of the voice. He just thrust the hand in the direction of the voice, hearing a body skid across the ground.

"Buggy!" Vlad then looked to see the cabin boy help another boy that looked around his age.

"Damn. That guy is brutal. He stabbed me in the eyes with my own hand." Vlad watched as the boy removed his hand, and placed it back on his arm.

"The captain did say he was merciless."

"Indeed, I most certainly am. Do you two wish to continue?"

The boy Vlad stabbed turned towards him. "Damn right, we do!"

"Oh, my. What an interesting nose."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT MY NOSE, PUNK?!"

Vlad chuckled. "How comical you are. You two, would you kindly address yourselves?"

The red haired boy smirked. "The name's Shanks. I'm a cabin boy on the Oro Jackson."

"I'm a cabin boy, too. But you better remember my name! I'm Buggy! I'm gonna be the richest man on the seas! To do that, I'm gonna flashily take all of your treasure!"

"Oh? Is that right? Well, my crew did attack a convoy not too long ago. It was carrying five million berries worth of gold and jewelry. I believe it was the personal convoy of a Celestial Dragon. It's all in the cargo bay of my ship."

Buggy's eyes were as big as dinner plates, with his jaw hitting the floor. "F-F-F-F-F-F-F-F-FIVE MILLION?!"

Shanks was amazed by the money, but amazed by something else as well. "This guy attacked a convoy for Celestial Dragons? I thought only we were brave enough to do that."

"So, boys, what do you say? Do you still want to fight me?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if they did."

Vlad's eyes glowed, and his smirk grew wider at the sound of the voice. "Roger." He turned towards his rival, who had his famous grin on. Vlad noticed the cutlass in his hand. "It looks like you have been enjoying the company of my crew."

"And it looks like my cabin boys have been treating you well. So, how are they? Do they get your seal of approval?"

"Oh, they do indeed. They have great potential. I suppose it's only expected, since you made them your apprentices."

Roger chuckled. "I knew those boys were meant for greatness the moment I met them. The fact that you approve of them only proves that I was right. With that out of the way, how about we have one of our fights?" Vlad's smile widened at the thought.

"Wait, captain!" The two men looked at Shanks. "Let me fight him!"

"No! Let me kill him flashily, and then let me take his five million berries!" Roger's smile seemed to grow, filling with pride.

Vlad chuckled. "How about this? Why don't I fight all three of you?"

Vlad and the Roger Pirates smiled at the proposition. "FINE BY ME!" That's what all three men yelled as they charged at Vlad, who cut his other hand to make another blood sword, preparing for one hell of an interesting fight.

* * *

Vlad was taken out of memory lane by the sound of snapping. Hoarfen was snapping his fingers in front of Vlad's face. "Earth to Vlad. Anyone home?"

"Hm?"

"What was that about?"

"Oh, I was just remembering something from my past."

"Eh. Whatever. Has nothing to do with me. Anyway, more importantly, are we near an island yet? I wanna kill someone."

Vlad looked at his wrist and studied the log pose he was wearing. "Turn the ship port side. That's the direction of the closest island."

"Where'd you get the log pose?"

"One of the generous marines you spent some time with gave it to me back at Impel Down."

"Huh. Who knew those little piggies had any use besides my dinner? Anyway, I'll go change the course."

Moments passed. As they sailed, Vlad passed the time by stabbing fish with his blood, and throwing them onto the deck. Hoarfen ate most of the fish Vlad threw on deck. The man really was as gluttonous as a wolf.

"Hm? Ah! Vlad! An island!"

Vlad looked up. "Oh, so there is." He stabbed another fish without looking, and threw it towards the deck.

Hoarfen caught it with his mouth, and proceeded to eat it. "Wonder if there's a village." Hoarfen then swallowed the last mouthful of fish. "I could go for some woman. Ooh, or maybe some child! They're even tastier than veal!" Hoarfen then noticed Vlad's expression. He looked more serious than usual. "What? I thought you were cool with me being a cannibal."

"You don't smell it?"

"Smell what?"

"Blood. Freshly spilled blood."

"Huh?" Hoarfen then proceeded to sniff the air. "Ah! Someone beat us to this island! And killed a village's worth of people! I'LL GUT THE FUCKER!" Hoarfen instinctively activated his powers, growing fangs, claws, wolf ears, and a puffed up wolf tail. He was even growling in the direction of the island.

The men anchored at the port, which was painted red with blood, and littered with corpses. When Vlad jumped off the ship, he landed on the head of a man, accidentally crushing the skull into paste. He wasn't bothered by it at all. Instead, he analyzed the corpse. He found the cause of death.

"Slash wounds originating at the upper left quadrant of the abdomen, ending at the right iliac crest. There are four marks. This wound was caused by a claw."

"Ah, a Zoan."

"It must be. There's no way an average animal, or even an above average animal could cause this much death. Plus, the claw marks indicate that the assailant was of human height. Any other animal would have left a deeper mark. I wonder what kind of Zoan it is."

"Cat-Cat Model."

Vlad looked at Hoarfen, surprised. "You can tell?"

Hoarfen bared his fangs. "Yeah. I can recognize that disgusting model's handiwork anywhere. Fucking Cat-Cats. I hate them all. We Dog-Dogs are way better."

"Hm. Well, this wound is still fresh. Can't be any more than a few hours. The murderer is still nearby."

"Good. The only thing that's good about cats is their taste. The only good cat is a dead cat on my plate."

The men then followed the trail of blood and corpses. It led them right into the village, which was now the sight of a bloody massacre.

Hoarfen whistled. "What a bloody mess. All this meat, gone to waste. Oh, dumbass didn't even eat the kids. Just left them sprawled everywhere for the crows and maggots. Ah! That's just wasteful! Look, that man his shielding a woman and kid! Three meals in one bite! Damn, these cats are wasteful bastards. This is one of the many reasons I hate them so much."

"It looks like they tried to fight back. Their weapons didn't do them much good, though." Vlad picked up a rifle and a cutlass, both looked like they were cut; like a hot knife through butter. "They didn't stand a chance."

"Hey, I smell more blood coming from the forest."

Vlad dropped the ruined weapons. "They must have tried to hide from the hunter in the trees."

"Wanna bet that's where our wasteful little pussy cat is?"

"Only one way to find out."

The two men walked into the forest. As they walked further in, they saw more bodies.

One was leaning dead on a tree, their back exposed, with four distinct slashes showing. One could see the spine. Another corpse seemed to be hiding in the hollow section of a tree. The four holes in the tree and in the victim's chest showed that the move was worthless, as the killer obviously just stabbed through the tree. One of the most interesting corpses was of a young girl, who died on a flower bed, her blood staining all of the flowers. She was laying on her back, eyes closed, and arms extended. She looked like a sleeping princess, surrounded by crimson flowers.

"Huh. This place could make for one hell of a horror island. Ooh, even the trees are decorated." Vlad looked to see what Hoarfen meant.

There were plenty of bodies decorating the trees. The first tree they saw had a young teenager impaled on a tree branch through the throat. Another one was of a middle aged woman, impaled through the abdomen. There were also corpses of elders, hanging over tree branches like laundry. It was a gruesome sight, but Hoarfen and Vlad were not affected by the sight in the least.

As they looked at the many corpses of the forest, a shadowy figure was watching them from the tree tops. The body was shadowed, with the only distinguishable features being glowing red eyes, cat ears, and a long tail. The figure analyzed the two new men, and as quickly as it appeared, it vanished.

"Tch. Does that pussy cat really think we haven't noticed it?"

"It must be underestimating us. We can use that to our advantage."

"So we're just gonna keep pretending we haven't noticed it until it attacks?"

"Correct."

"Lame. I wanna kill it now."

"Don't you want to shatter it's pride?"

"Pardon?"

"It obviously prides itself in it's stealth. It's ability to mask it's presence. It must believe itself to be the ideal hunter. Don't you want to show it how wrong it truly is? Show it that it's techniques are flawed? Have you ever seen the pride in someone's eyes shatter when their precious skill is take from them? Their prized weapon destroyed? Their beloved technique shown to be obsolete? That they are not nearly as impressive as they have always believed themselves to be? Don't you want to... humiliate the cat?"

Hoarfen was silent for a bit, before he sighed in defeat. "Damn, Vlad. You can be seriously evil. It's kinda scary. . . . I love having you for a captain."

The two men then continued to walk, waiting for the hunter to strike. As they walked, the hunter followed them from the shadows of the trees. Even with Observation Haki, the hunter was hard to track. It showed much skill. However, Vlad and Hoarfen were still able to keep up with the Hunter, and all of it's traps.

The pit traps were the easiest. The men always jumped at the right time. The falling trees were reduced to splinters with just a single punch from either man. Hornet nests were aggravated right when Vlad and Hoarfen were under them, but Vlad squired all the insects with his blood. The wild beasts were all sent running in fear when Hoarfen roared at them.

Hoarfen sighed. "Is this it? That the best this pussy's got? Pathetic." Vlad didn't respond. "Hey, Vlad, I'm getting bored. Can we just kill this damn cat already?"

"You might want to jump."

"Huh?" Before Hoarfen could ask what Vlad meant, he jumped. Hoarfen was then hit in the face, and smoke appeared. "IT STINKS!" Hoarfen ran out of the smoke, choking and coughing. "W-What the f-" Hoarfen vomited. "T-This is made of dung!" He started to cough even more. "No! There's also rotten meat, rotten fruit, and rotten vegetables! The smell! The smell! It's horrible!" Hoarfen fell to his knees, vomiting a bit more.

Vlad landed in front of him. "I take it your sense of smell is far more sensitive than normal because of your Devil Fruit."

Hoarfen bared his fangs as Vlad, eyes white with rage. "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK?!"

Vlad's expression remained neutral. He then pointed to his right. "There's a pond not too far from here. I also saw some berries near it. Use those to wash yourself off."

Hoarfen took off running, leaving a dust trail behind. "YOU BETTER GUT THAT CAT, VLAD!" That was the last thing Vlad heard from the ice wolf.

"So, are you going to come down from that branch, or not?"

Vlad's question was answered when he heard a thud behind him. "You've got some skill. I'm actually impressed you've been able to not get so much as a scratch this whole time."

Vlad was a bit surprised to hear a woman's voice. He turned to see who his attacker was. "Oh, what a lovely young woman."

Indeed, she most certainly was. She was in her human form. Her skin was as dark as Vlad's, and she was nearly just as tall as he is. She had short, raven black, smooth hair that shinned at the slightest touch of light. She had a lean, thin body that looked perfect for speed based combat. Her limbs were longer than average, which told Vlad that this woman was very flexible. She wore a gold and black outfit, which was a leotard, bands that covered her elbow down to her wrist, and heeled boots. Her face was the epitome of beauty, with her eyes as golden as her clothes. As a plus, she was also very well endowed. In short, she was as gorgeous as a goddess.

Vlad studied the woman, and saw blood on her hands. "So, you were the one who killed those villagers."

"I am."

"Are there any survivors?"

The woman chuckled. "How humorous."

Vlad... smiled. "Impressive. I guess I shouldn't expect anything less from a fellow Level Six escapee."

"Oh? So you were one of the prisoners that declined that fat man's offer?"

"As was the man you sent running."

"That mutt was an escapee? Pathetic."

"So, you knew he was a Dog-Dog Model. Funny. He knew the villagers were slain by a Cat-Cat Model."

"Well..." The woman formed claws on her left hand. "Our work is quite distinguishable."

"Indeed. So, how did you know about Hoarfen?"

"That bomb was designed to exploit the weakness of all Dog Model Zoans."

"Their hypersensitive sense of smell."

"Smart man. Even if they had avoided it like you did, the aroma alone would still incapacitate them. It's one of the many ways they are inferior to cats."

"By that logic, you know I am not a Dog Zoan."

"I do, indeed. Thanks to one of my traps, I also know you are most definitely a Devil Fruit user." Vlad thought of the hornet incident. "But I also know something else."

"Which is?"

The woman then disappeared. In an instant, she appeared behind Vlad, claws black with haki, and eyes glowing red. "That you will die here, by my hand."

Vlad didn't move, and his expression didn't change. However, the woman's expression did change. Her face went from overflowing confidence to flooded with signs of danger. She jumped away from Vlad just in time to avoid being impaled by spikes protruding from Vlad's back, made from his own blood.

"Well, that was dangerous. Had I been any slower, I would have been a hole riddled corpse. That looks quite painful, by the way."

"After using it so many times, I've grown quite used to it. It dulled by sense of pain as well."

"Hm, interesting. You might be a bit more difficult than I thought."

"Did you honestly expect less?"

"Actually, I did. Since my escape, I have come across other Level Six prisoners. They... were less than exhilarating. But you..." The woman began to transform into her hybrid form. "You will actually pose a challenge. I've been waiting for one ever since I escaped."

"Hm... You resemble a cheetah."

"Oh, you know your animals. The last person who saw me in this form thought I was a leopard. The one before him was a true idiot, saying I looked like a tiger. I ate the Cat-Cat Fruit Model: Cheetah. As such, I'm arguably one of the fastest beings on the planet. Not even the marines' Shave technique is a match for my speed. Trust me..." She appeared right in front of Vlad, getting ready to gouge his eyes out with her claws. "They've tried when I escaped."

The woman jabbed at Vlad, but was surprised when he easily dodged by simply tilting his head, looking unenthusiastic. She then sensed something. She jumped away just in time to avoid getting cut by Vlad's sword, something that impressed the Bloody Devil. "How nimble."

"I'm a cat, handsome. We're known for being quick on our feet."

The woman charged at Vlad, slashing at him at ungodly speeds. However, Vlad was somehow able to parry most of them. He did get a few scratches though, but that made things worse for his assailant.

She actually had to jump away when she saw a needle of blood shoot right at her. "Wow. You're Devil Fruit has quite a few tricks, doesn't it?"

"More than you can imagine, Young Lady."

The woman chuckled. "Young Lady? You don't seem old enough to be calling me that, handsome."

Vlad chuckled at that comment. _"If only you knew, child."_

"Now then..." The woman sped towards Vlad.

The two fighters clashed. Haki infused cheetah claws clashed against a haki infused sword of blood. Their fight created many shock waves and air blades. There were many unfortunate animals that were caught in their battle, so the battleground was soon drenched in blood. Unfortunately for the huntress, this meant that Vlad was getting stronger.

During their next clash, Vlad chuckled as he looked into the beautiful woman's eyes.

"What's so funny?"

"I had been enjoying our battle so much, that I actually want to know your name. Not many people have done that. Since my escape, only Hoarfen has been able to do that. Then again, I've only been free for three days."

"That mutt was the only one to impress you so far? How sad for you. Actually, I'm a bit curious about who you are as well. Who are you, handsome?"

"Vladimir Tepes. Though, I have to admit, most people know me simply as Vlad."

"Vlad? Why does that name sound so familiar?"

"You look like an intelligent woman. I'm sure you will figure it out."

"Oh, I don't think I need to. After all, I am going to kill you, so I don't need to remember a dead man's name." Vlad smiled at her answer. "Now, LET'S FINISH THIS!" The woman then jumped away, and started to run around Vlad fast enough to create afterimages. Then, it looked as if the woman charged at him from literally all directions, all of them looking like solid clones, making it impossible for the human eye to tell which was real. In fact, she was moving so fast, that even Observation Haki would have been made useless. It really was like she was everywhere at once.

However, Vlad's smile never went away. "Very well." He then raised a hand, and snapped his fingers. "Bloody Chains."

The next thing the woman knew, she was being held back by chains made of actual blood; yet these chains were even harder than steel. No matter how much she struggled, she couldn't break free. She then realized Vlad was standing before her. He then knelt down to be at eye level with her. He loved the look of shock in her eyes.

"How? How?! How did you know which one was me?!"

Vlad pointed down at her claws. "By my blood. Your claws are stained with it. You can make as many images as you want, but my attacks will never miss, because only the real you has my blood stained on your body."

"B-But this much blood. Where did it-" The cheetah hybrid's eyes widened in realization. "The animals."

"You really are a brilliant young lady. Yes, as long as so much as a drop of my blood is mixed in with it, I can control all blood. That is the power of the Blood-Blood Fruit. The only limits to my power is my own imagination, and the amount of blood surrounding me. However, all mammals, from the beasts of the earth, sea and sky; to the humans that live in this world; all have blood flowing through their veins. Which means, they are all a source of my power. Fun fact: if so much as a drop of my blood enters their veins, they become my puppet for as long as they live... and beyond. I can even manipulate coagulated blood. If I wanted to, I could make an actual army of the undead."

The woman calmly listened to Vlad's explanation. "What a terrifying power. Sounds like it was made for the Devil himself."

"Thank you. Now then, before I 'finish this', I would still like to know your name."

The woman chuckled as she shook her head. "Tanya." She then looked at Vlad, staring right into his eyes. "Tanya the Cheetah."

"Tanya. What a beautiful name."

"Thank you, Vlad. Oh, and I hope you don't think I'm done fighting."

"Hm?"

"This fight..." Tanya's eyes became more like a cheetah's. "Isn't over yet!"

Tanya began to transform. She was getting bigger. Too big for even Vlad's Bloody Chains to handle. They all shattered, and Tanya was still growing. When she finished growing, she was twice the size of Vlad himself. She was a giant Minocheetah, who retained her black hair, clothes and large bosoms. The giant cheetah towered over Vlad, completely still, and her eyes shadowed.

"An Awakened Zoan. Haven't seen one of those in a while. I heard rumors of there being four Impel Down jailers who were also Awakened Zoans. Odd that they were nowhere to be seen during our escape. However, it's a shame that an Awakened Zoan's power is a double edged sword. In exchange for nearly invulnerable bodies and superhuman recovery, their intellect and humanity is greatly diminished, making them nothing more than savage beasts. You probably don't understand a word I am saying right now. What a shame. At least I will have an entertaining battle, even if it's with a mindless beast."

"A mindless beast?" Vlad's eyes widened in shock. "Oi, oi." Tanya gave a toothy, fang-filled smile, her eyes now fully visible, full of life and a lust for battle. "Who do you think you're talking to?" Vlad was shocked. He has never seen an Awakened Zoan that had control over their power. "Don't underestimate me, VLAD!"

Tanya swung her claw, creating four giant blades of wind. It was too large for Vlad to dodge, even with Shave. Instead, he created a barrier of blood. As soon as the blades connected with his shield, it blew him away with just wind pressure alone.

He was sent crashing through trees and boulders, before finally regaining his footing. When he did, he ended up getting slashed on the back, before being kicked into a cliff. It all hurt like hell. Tanya calmly walked over towards him, his eyes shadowed, body implanted into the cliff.

"Ready to give up? You're pretty interesting, so I actually don't want to kill you. I'll let you live... as my pet."

Vlad was quiet for a bit... before he smiled. "You're magnificent."

"You're just now figuring that out?"

"An Awakened Zoan that has full and total control over their power. You can still think like a human, and you're skills and tactics are even greater than before." Vlad then showed one eye. "I think I can use it on you."

"It?"

Vlad then ripped himself out of the cliff, and looked at the open palm of his right hand. "It has been years since I have used this. The last time was against Roger. I should have used it when both he and Newgate attacked me. Maybe I wouldn't have... no, I still probably would have lost."

"Roger and Newgate? Just how old are you? Or are you just crazy?"

Vlad smiled at Tanya. "I'll let you figure that out. For now, let me show you something." Vlad then slammed his hand onto the ground. "Bloody World."

The entire area around Vlad... started to become blood. It started to spread, which made Tanya get into a defensive stance, wondering what Vlad had in store for her. Then, a cheetah made of blood lunged at her from the pool of blood.

She tried to slash it's head, but her claws went right through it, while the cheetah slashed at her shoulders. More cheetahs ran out, and Tanya tried to fight back. However, all of her attacks were ineffective. Not even haki seemed to hurt them. "It's like fighting an army of Logia!"

"Only problem is that they are in their true form. Armament Haki only works on Logia because it attacks their true bodies. These cheetahs are nothing more than animated blood. It is their true form." Tanya hissed at the situation. "However, that's not the only thing my blood can do."

Tanya watched as the cheetahs began to melt back into pools of blood before coming together. The blood then started to take form. Out of the blood, came an exact replica of Tanya in her Minocheetah form, a sight that shocked Tanya.

"Blood-Blood Clone. It may not be as powerful as you yet, but it will make for one hell of an opponent."

The clone then charged at Tanya. The two fought like hell. The clone couldn't get one hit on Tanya, but she couldn't harm the clone. It was a duel between the untouchable and the unkillable.

Then, Tanya got sick of it. She took a step back far enough to totally avoid a strike from the clone. Then, she got into a stance. "Cheetah Twister!"

Tanya began to spin. She was spinning fast enough to create a powerful twister that actually made Vlad lose control of the clone. The blood then began to fly everywhere, the clone being completely defeated.

Tanya stopped spinning, and smiled at Vlad with her fangs bared and her eyes gleaming dangerously. "Looks like I've beaten your clone, Vlad." He didn't respond. He just stood there, an impressed look in his eyes, and arms crossed. "Now... TIME TO END THIS!" Tanya charged at Vlad, planning to slash his head off.

Then... Vlad pointed a finger at her. She stopped dead in her tracks. "W-What?! W-What's going on?! I can't move!"

"Don't you remember what I said, Tanya?" She looked at him. "I can control anything that has my blood flowing through it."

"You're blood?! When the hell did you-" That's when Tanya remembered. She was able to turn her head enough to look at her shoulder. It was totally healed, but she didn't forget what cut her in the first place. "The blood cheetahs."

"Correct. Bloody World turns everything around me into my blood. Getting so much as scratched by anything created by Bloody World is no different from getting a scratch from my sword. You lost to me the moment my cheetah's claws pierced your skin." Vlad then snapped his fingers.

Tanya felt a sensation. It was painful, but not agonizing. It just felt mildly uncomfortable. Then, she started to revert back into her human form, something that astonished her.

"Much better." She looked at Vlad. "You're Awakened form is indeed a spectacular sight," he then lifted her head by her chin. "But it pales in comparison to your beauty."

Tanya blushed at Vlad's words. "W-What do you plan to do with me?"

Vlad smiled. "I plan on making you mine."

"Nyah?!" Tanya was beet red.

"I took an interest in you. An Awakened Zoan that has control over their form is quite rare. I could use someone as powerful as you in my circle of trust."

"Oh, that's what you meant." Tanya looked away, a bit of a depressed.

"Though, I have to admit, you would make quite the bedfellow." Tanya then went back to being red with embarrassment, her ears and tail popping up, standing tall. "So, will you join me?"

Tanya was quiet for a bit. "I-If I join, I need to warn you that I will be aiming for your life at every chance I get."

"Very well."

Tanya looked at Vlad, then tilted her head. "Eh?"

"After all, if I am weak enough for you to kill me, then I had no right to ask you to follow me, correct?" Tanya blushed again, her heart pounding. "Now then, we should leave."

"Y-Yeah."

"Let's go find our other comrade."

Tanya's blush went away. "Comrade?" She then took a minute to think, giving time for Vlad remove his blood from her veins. Tanya's face then turned blue. "The mutt?"

Vlad just smiled before walking away. Tanya followed him.

It didn't take the two long. They reached the pond, which now looked like a giant bubble bath, with a giant ice blue wolf sleeping in the water, it's snout above the water. The wolf's ear twitched, showing that it heard Vlad and Tanya approaching.

The wolf lazily opened one eye, and yawned when it saw Vlad. "Hey, Vlad."

"Oh? You can talk while in full beast mode, Hoarfen?"

"All Zoans can. You didn't know that?"

Vlad chuckled. "It has been too long."

Hoarfen then lazily got back up, the water dripping from his fur. He then shook himself dry. Vlad made a shield of blood to prevent any of the water from getting on him. Hoarfen stepped out of the lake, reverting back to his human form as he did. He was still fully clothed when he returned to his original form, stretching to awaken his tired body. "Baths feel nice, especially cold ones, but the water seriously weakens you. Kind of a pain. So, you turned that cat into beef and broccoli?"

"Mm, not exactly." Hoarfen raised an eyebrow at Vlad's answer. Then, Vlad stepped to the side.

As soon as Hoarfen saw Tanya, his fangs, claws, tail, and ears formed immediately. He got into a battle stance, growling, looking ready to pounce at her. "Why the fuck is that pussy still alive?!"

Tanya retaliated by forming her own fangs, claws, tail and ears. She was also growling, looking ready to lunge at Hoarfen.

The only reason they didn't attack each other was because Vlad positioned his arm in front of them. "Because she will be joining us."

"WHAT?!"

"She caught my interest. She will be an extremely powerful ally."

"ALLY?! THIS DAMN CAT IS THE TYPE OF FELINE FILTH THAT WOULD TRY TO KILL US IN OUR FUCKING SLEEP!"

"WRONG! I'D KILL YOU RIGHT HERE AND NOW, YOU MANGY BITCH!"

"WHAT WAS THAT?!"

"You're right, Hoarfen." The two looked at Vlad. "Tanya is the type that would try to kill us in our sleep. I'm actually hoping she will try that." The two were confused by Vlad's words. "After all, it would keep you and me vigilant, and would prevent us from getting weak. Besides, are you really so weak, that you can be killed in your sleep?"

"FUCK NO!"

"Then, letting her join us wouldn't be a problem for you. You just need to always make sure you're stronger than she is."

"Tch, like I even need to try."

Tanya growled at that comment. "And Tanya..." She looked at Vlad. "If you join with us, not only will you always have a chance to assassinate me, but you will always have a chance to kill Hoarfen, and prove that the cat is superior to the dog. Sounds like an interesting hunt, does it not?"

Tanya glared at Vlad. "You're a crafty bastard, you know that? You seem to know exactly what to say."

Vlad chuckled. "That's quite the compliment."

"Tch. Fine! I'll join. But I'm warning you two, let your guard down even a tiny bit, or allow yourselves to get weak enough, I WILL kill you." She then appeared before Hoarfen, as if she had teleported, her claws at his throat. "Especially you, you flea bitten mutt."

Hoarfen's glare intensified. "Watch who you're talking to, you damned filthy pussy." Tanya looked down to see that Hoarfen's claws were right where her liver was. The two were already prepared to kill each other.

Vlad chuckled at the sight. "Alright. Let's go, you two. This island has nothing left to offer us." With that, Vlad walked back towards the ship.

Tanya and Hoarfen glared at one another for a bit longer, before they finally started to follow Vlad. As they walked, sparks appeared between them. It wasn't the spark of love, or rivalry, or the comical lightning sparks; but actually sparks... caused by the lighting quick clashes between the claws of the two Zoan warriors.

As they walked, Vlad could only smile, with one thought on his mind:

" _Things have gotten that much more interesting."_

 **A/N: I wonder if any of you can guess which two characters inspired Tanya. Here are two hints: 1. Comics 2. Video games Good luck with the guessing game. The answer will be revealed in the next chapter (whenever that is.)**


	3. Chapter 3

The sun was beginning to rise for a new day. Vlad was sleeping peacefully in the captain's quarters of the marine ship, while Hoarfen was snoring loudly in the men's quarters; which he had all to himself. Tanya would have been sleeping in the women's quarters, but she was currently awake.

Vlad found out why when an intoxicating smell woke him up. Wearing nothing but a pair of pants, he followed the scent to the kitchen, and saw Tanya cooking. "It smells delicious."

"Thank you. Would you like some?"

"What is it?"

"Some meat I found in the cold storage unit of the ship. There should be enough food to last us about two months. I've also cut up some potatoes. They're frying on a low burner right now. I'm also planning on cooking some eggs."

"What a delicious sounding breakfast."

"And more than enough for the both of us."

"None for Hoarfen?"

"As if I would make anything for that mutt."

Vlad chuckled. "Well, it's for the best. He prefers his meat raw and bloody, straight off of the victims he hunts or kills."

"Tch. The more I hear about that beast, the more disgusting he becomes."

Vlad couldn't help but smile. As Tanya was cooking, he stood up to see if he could find some refreshments. He found that the refrigerator was filled with a variety. He poured himself and Tanya a glass.

After a few minutes, Tanya finished cooking her and her captain's breakfast. The moment she placed his plate in front of him, Vlad took a bite out of the meal. "Mm, exquisite. I had no idea I was recruiting a chef."

"I wouldn't call myself a chef. It's just basic cooking skills. They're a necessity and a joy to have on the seas. If you don't have at least one person who has basic knowledge in the preparation of food, and the knowledge required to keep one's body in shape, you're in for a pretty miserable life at sea. Something I bet you already know, captain."

"Mhm." Vlad took another bite of his food. "Though, I have to admit, it's been a long time since I've eaten food."

"Because of Level Six?"

"Before even then. I had grown dependent on my Devil Fruit. Blood was all I needed to sustain myself. It has been years since I've actually eaten food, especially food this delicious." He continued to eat.

Tanya giggled, a genuine smile on her face. "That's quite the compliment, captain." She started to eat her own food.

As they ate, Hoarfen entered the kitchen, yawning while scratching himself. "Mornin'. Hm? Ew. What stinks?"Tanya grew a tick mark. Hoarfen started to sniff. "Is that... cooked meat?"

"Yes. Tanya made breakfast for the two of us."

"VLAD! DON'T PUT THAT CRAP IN YOUR MOUTH!"

"CRAP?!" Tanya slammed her fist onto the table, destroying it. Fortunately, Vlad grabbed his plate before she did that, still enjoying his food. "How about I cook you, see what kind of 'crap' I can turn you into."

"Hah? Think you can so much as scratch me, Pussy Cat?" Hoarfen formed his claws on his left hand, and was baring his fangs in a sadistic smile.

"I'll do more than scratch you, Ice Bitch." Tanya also formed her claws, and bared her fangs in a furious scowl.

Vlad just continued to eat his breakfast, as if nothing was happening at all.

After a fight that heavily damaged the kitchen of the ship, Vlad was studying a map he found in the captain's quarters while analyzing his Log Pose.

"So, you're a navigator?"

Vlad looked behind him to see Tanya walking towards him, drying her hair while wearing nothing but a partially open bathrobe, almost completely exposing her breasts. He assumed she took a bath after her fight with Hoarfen. Since she was an Awakened Zoan, he saw that it was no surprise that she had no wounds whatsoever. He saw Hoarfen walking around in the background, stretching as if he had no care in the world. Vlad deduced he was an Awaken as well, since he also didn't have any wounds. After the fight those two had, they should have looked like they were mauled by wild animals... which they both technically were.

"Indeed. Before I created a crew, I traveled the Grand Line by myself for quite some time. Navigation has saved me more times than I can possibly count."

"Hm. To survive on the Grand Line by yourself shows just how powerful you are. You're one hell of a man, Vlad." Vlad just hummed in response. "So, we close to any islands?"

"You wish to go on a killing spree?"

"Don't compare me to that bloodthirsty mutt. We don't have much necessary provisions. My fight with the mutt destroyed most of the meats and vegetables. That mutt might like eating people, but I don't. We also need some more fruits. Even we need to eat properly. . . . Well, you said that you relay mostly on blood, but it's not like we can carry blood packs everywhere."

"We possibly could, but I prefer my blood fresh out of the body. Besides, I wouldn't mind eating more of your cooking." Tanya blushed at that response. "Anyway, to answer your question, we are close to an island. It's called Steampunk Island."

"Steampunk?"

"They pride themselves on their steam-based technology. They're one of the most advanced islands in the world. Even Vegapunk himself has done work on that island. We will get the food you desire, but we might also find something of interest on that island."

"Like we need weapons."

"You never know."

* * *

It didn't take them long to reach a port. Vlad, Tanya, and Hoarfen nonchalantly exited the marine ship, the Harbormaster waiting at the bottom. "Welcome to Steampunk Island, noble marines."

"We are not marines," rebuked Vlad. "We are just two men and a woman who were able to somewhat repair an abandoned warship."

"Ah, and you did a magnificent job of doing so." The Harbormaster then looked up. "Though, it seems a section of the ship has been heavily damaged."

Vlad looked up to see what the Harbormaster meant, and saw the still smoking section that was the kitchen. "We were attacked by a group of pirates. We were lucky that the kitchen was the only section that was damaged."

"Indeed. Now then, good sir, I will require your name and reason for being on our humble island."

"My name is Vladimir Tepes. As mentioned before, my kitchen was damaged, taking away a portion of our provisions. I am here to restock my food supplies."

"For a small price, we could repair your kitchen. Say, four hundred berries?"

"Reasonable."

"Ah, and I should also add that weighing anchor at the port is one hundred berries, making it a total of five hundred berries all together." Wordlessly and without hesitation, Vlad reached into his back pock, took out the money, and placed it in the man's hand. "Welcome to Steampunk Island, Mr. Tepes." Vlad just nodded, and began to walk.

As they did, Hoarfen noticed a little girl hiding behind the Harbormaster. When he saw her, he decided to tease her by growing his fangs, and biting the air in front of her face with a wolf's growl, snarling the entire time. The girl yelped in fear while hiding behind the Harbormaster.

"Hoarfen."

"Yeah, yeah. Comin', Vlad." Before he walked away, Hoarfen looked in the girl's eye one last time with his own icy blue orb, showing off a fanged smile.

The girl couldn't help but stare at the three people as they walked away. "Those people are scary."

"Well, the one with the blue hair does seem a bit boorish, but that other young man seems to be quite well mannered. He also seems to be the captain. An interesting fellow, that young Mr. Tepes. . . . Tepes?"

"Is there something wrong, Grandfather?"

"Oh, I just seem to feel like I should know that name. Hm, Vladimir Tepes. The entire name seems familiar. I dare say I know the man. However, that shouldn't be possible. Merely looking at the boy shows that I could be old enough to be his own father."

"Then you might have known his father."

"Maybe." The Harbormaster then noticed his granddaughter's expression of fear. "Is something the matter, child?"

"That other man. The pretty looking man with blue hair and eyes. He was scary."

"Yes. He did act most inappropriate, but it seems he respects Mr. Tepes."

"But that name Mr. Tepes said, Hoarfen. I think I've heard that name before."

"Hm, as do I. . . I wonder..." The Harbormaster then went to check the wanted posters. "Hm, these are all the current posters. These are all men and women of infamy, from petty crimes to diabolic acts that only the most vile of pirates could commit. Neither Mr. Tepes, nor this Hoarfen character appears."

"Then, are they good people, Grandfather?"

"Hm, I do not know. I suppose I will have to scheme through the posters of old, just to be safe." The granddaughter nodded in confirmation.

* * *

Vlad, Hoarfen, and Tanya were walking through the city, taking in the sights.

"It's hideous," Tanya said as she looked at the steam factories.

"Yeah, this place is definitely not for me," Hoarfen said as he looked at the buildings.

"We won't be here for long. We will only stay one night. It should be more than enough time for them to repair that ship."

"Why not just steal another one," Tanya asked.

"In fact, why didn't we just start slaughtering," Hoarfen added.

"There are too many people here, even for us. I'd rather keep a low profile in heavily populated areas like this."

"Huh, whatever. Oh, by the way, where'd you get that cash, Vlad," Hoarfen asked, genuinely curious.

"The dead have no need for it, especially not the men who 'gave' us our clothes, the men and women who satisfied your appetite, or those villagers who 'helped' Tanya to make that entertaining horror island."

"You robbed the dead," Tanya asked with a giggle. "That's some hardcore evil."

"As I said, the dead have no use for it."

"Extra! Extra! Read al' about it! Jack the Rippa' strikes again! Hm? Oi! Mate!" Vlad stopped when the newspaper boy called out to him, making Hoarfen and Tanya stop as well. "You're not from around 'ere, are ye?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Mate, you see any other lads with skin are dark as you chaps?"

Vlad looked around and realized that everyone around him was fair skinned. He looked up and saw why. The sun was completely blocked out by the steam created by the many factories. There's no way anyone would get anything close to a tan in an environment like this. He, Hoarfen, and Tanya were easy to find. "No. I most certainly do not."

"Well, gov'na, you may need to know about this." The boy handed him a newspaper.

Vlad read the article. "Jack the Ripper?"

"Right scary bloke, he is. Been around for five nights, and he's already sent eight ol' beauties off to our Lord. The odd thing about it, the Rippa hasn't been 'eard from in ov'a twenty years. The old goats in the World Gov'ment took 'im out. Least that's what they say. But bullocks to that, I say! If they were tellin' true, then why has ol' Jack returned?"

Vlad knew why. If the boy was to be trusted, and it really has been about five days since this Jack the Ripper's return... then this murderer was a Level Six escapee like him and his crew. What's more... Vlad might actually know him. "Thank you for the information, young man."

"Ah, no worries, mate. Just be sure to keep the missus away form the killa. She's a right beauty, she is. You're a lucky one, having that one for a wife." Tanya jolted a bit, her eyes shadowed, and her cheeks glowing red from embarrassment. Hoarfen was keeping his face hidden, desperately trying to keep himself form laughing out loud.

Vlad was silent for a bit, his expression unreadable. "Indeed, I most certainly am."

"Nyah?!" Steam was actually coming off of Tanya's head, while Hoarfen was actually stabbing himself with his own claws, trying so hard not to laugh his literal tail off.

"Well, good day, mate. Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Jack the Rippa strikes again! Eighth victim found behind Steam Punk City Hall! Leaves our boys in blue with no clue once more! Read al' 'bout it!"

Vlad watched the boy walk away, announcing the news. When he couldn't see him anymore, he looked down at the newspaper. "Jack the Ripper, huh?" As Vlad read the paper, he had to tilt his head to avoid getting jabbed by Tanya, which would have killed pretty much anyone via impalement. "Something wrong, Tanya?"

"DAMN RIGHT! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING, SAYING ALL OF THAT EMBARRASSING CRAP?!" Hoarfen couldn't hold it anymore. He fell to the ground, howling with laughter, holding his splitting sides. "YOU'RE NEXT, MUTT!"

"Was it so wrong of me to speak the truth?" Tanya looked at Vlad, her face completely red. "You are quite the beautiful woman. I wouldn't mind having you for a wife." Tanya's eyes were completely shadowed by her hair, her face steaming, with her being unable to even make a coherent word.

Hoarfen was pounding the ground, destroying it a bit, until he looked up and saw Vlad. "You know, you've been staring at that thing for a while. Something interesting about this Ripper guy?"

"He's one of us."

Tanya finally regained her composure. "A Level Six escapee?"

"Yes. One I actually know." That caught the subordinates attention. If Vlad knew the guy, then Jack the Ripper was there at Level Six way before either of them.

Vlad then rolled up the paper, and threw it into the closest trash can. "Well, I'm sure we'll see him soon enough. For now, let's see what this city has to offer, then find some place to sleep."

"You and the Pussy gonna share a room," Hoarfen asked, side stepping in time to avoid a clawed jab from Tanya.

"Possibly."

"NOT HAPPENING!" Tanya's roar sent many of the civilians running in fear.

"Alright, alright."

The pirates spent the whole time exploring the city. Both Vlad and Tanya had to keep Hoarfen in check, which greatly angered him, since he wanted to kill so badly. Tanya found all the provisions they needed, but that was it. Steampunk Island had a lot of magnificent inventions and weapons, but none of what they saw interested the Bloody Pirates. If anything, the only reason they would purchase these creations... would be to give it to their opponent so that they could be a more interesting fight.

* * *

After a full day of exploration, the Bloody Pirates went to the many hotels of the island. Vlad decided to rent a separate room for each member, much to Tanya's relief. Hoarfen did, of course, tease her about it. She retaliated by trying to slash his eyes out, but he blocked with his own claws.

All three members were sleeping in their own rooms, able to ignore the noisy city. Hoarfen's snores were as loud as any machine Steampunk city had operating. Vlad has always been able to sleep through noises like this. The only sounds that get a reaction out of him are the cries of battle. The only thing that would completely wake him up was his haki reacting to something, his reflexes kicking in, or his own inhuman instincts. Tanya was the same as Vlad, except that her haki was the only thing she relied on to awaken her.

As of now, she was peacefully sleeping. She looked so beautiful, so at peace, that one would never be able to guess that she was a monster of a woman. A mass murderer. A villain among pirates. If anything, she looked like the most beautiful woman one could ever lay eyes on. A once-in-a-lifetime beauty.

A work of art.

As she slept peacefully, she was unable to hear the window of her sixth story room being opened. She wouldn't be able to, not because of the noise of the city, but because there was virtually no sound to be heard.

Once the window was opened, a shadowy man wearing a top hat entered discretely. Tanya would have been able to hear someone so much as step on the floor, even a carpeted one like her room, but no sound was made from the man's step. It was almost as if he was walking on air.

Then, the man seemed to have floated towards Tanya, and was standing directly over her.

" _Ah, such beauty. So young and fit. Not overly muscular, and has a lovely dark tint to her flesh. Such beauty..."_ The man then took out a knife... without making a sound. It should have made at least a rustle from leaving the man's cloak, but no sound was heard at all. _"Should be immortalized."_

The man lifted the knife above Tanya. _"In death, your beauty will be eternal."_ With that, the man swing his knife down, still somehow not making a sound.

The knife was just inches away from Tanya's head, before it stopped. The man himself was confused, until he looked at his arm. There was a hand gripping it. He followed the hand, and saw something surprising.

"Hello, Jack."

"Vladdy!"

Tanya stirred a bit. Then, the sound of thunder was heard, and she slowly opened her eyes. When she looked around, she was alone in her room. Then, she saw that her window was open. "Huh?"

* * *

At the back of the hotel, in the alleyway, the silhouettes of two men were seen. Then, lightning struck, illuminating both of them. One of them was Vlad, while the other was a new man.

The man was as fair skinned as the rest of the islanders. He looked to be in his mid to late thirties. He had no facial hair, but mid length brown hair that escaped his top hat. He had a mad grin, lined with razor sharp teeth. His clothes were pretty common around the island, showing that he wasn't exactly wealthy. His clothes also gave the impression that he was a lanky man, who might as well have been skin and bone. Except for his teeth, he would pass as a normal, harmless civilian. However, he was anything but.

He was Jack the Ripper.

"Oh, Vladdy, how long has it been, deary?!"

"Last we spoke was eight days ago, three days before that Blackbeard fellow showed up. However, the last time we saw one another was approximately eight years ago."

"And you look even lovelier now than we I first laid eyes on you!"

"While you seemed to have barley age. You should be in your late sixties."

"Ah, the secrets of beauty, Vladdy. However, my grasp of eternal beauty pales in comparison to yours. You were beautiful before, but now, oh, you are a masterpiece, Vladdy."

"You can thank my Devil Fruit for that."

"Merely a tool, Vladdy. Merely a tool. Oh, how I have longed to see you again. You and your perfect body."

Vlad sighed. "You really haven't changed. Not your personality or that cockney accent of yours."

"Oh! Vladdy! You wound me. This is the lovely voice given to me at birth."

Vlad looked up. "And this is where you were born."

"Ah, always the clever one, Vladdy. Yes, my dear, this is were I was born. Where young Charles Thomas Druitt enjoyed his childhood." The man then pointed his knife to the sky. "And where he died to give birth to Jack the Ripper! Oh, so many fond memories. I still remember my first work of art. A fairly mature canvas, but she was magnificent. The next one was on the younger side, but much easier to work with. The third was one of my most aged. Ooh, how beautiful she was when she was immortalized. The red wine that flowed from her was perfection. Oh, how I pride myself in turning those women into permanent works of art. All ninety-five of them."

"That was your record before being captured?"

"Indeed. I just wish the people knew of them. They only learned of five of my beauties. I suppose the others were too difficult to find. I hid them too well."

"And why did you hid them if you want them to be appreciated?"

"Vladdy, true art must be found. It shouldn't be put up in plain sight. It is art, because it is unique. It is something you will never be able to find anywhere else. As such, you must go and journey forth to find true art. A lesson the marines have failed to accomplish. Ooh, but that lovely young pirate. That young man had an eye for art. He found me so quickly. I was working on my next piece of art before he and his lads struck down my door."

"A pirate found you, did he? Do you remember his name."

"Alas, I never got the boy's name. He was so young. But I will never forget his face. He was a strapping young man, skin as dark as your own, wore an adorable straw hat, and had the loveliest crimson colored hair I had even laid eyes on. He was a work of art, one that I truly wanted to immortalize."

"Roger's cabin boy."

"Vladdy! You knew the boy?!"

"I was quite acquainted with him, back in my day."

"So, he was a student of the late Pirate King. It greatly explains the boy's incredible strength and skill. It was an enjoyable bout. So difficult. So energetic. So... artistic. It is no wonder I feel no regret for being defeated by him. I only wish there was a way to immortalize the occasion. However, that work of art... must forever remain hidden. So sad."

"Well, why not immortalize the boy?" Jack looked at Vlad, a curious look on his face. "Someone as skilled as him is bound to still be alive. Why not travel with me and find him?"

"Aw! Vladdy! You want me to travel with you?!"

"You are a skilled man, Jack. I could use someone of your talents. Besides, a doctor is always needed."

"Oh? You need me to cure you of your illness? I thought you were immortal."

"I wasn't talking about myself."

"Oh, you mean that adorable kitten and that lovely puppy over there?" Jack looked towards a direction.

"Exactly," Vlad responded as he looked in the same direction.

"Alright, I'll admit it. He's good," Hoarfen said as he walked out of the shadows.

"To think his observation is at a high enough level to sense even me," Tanya said as she also walked out.

"It's more than that. Jack is genius when it comes to observation haki, as well as masking his presence. He is the ultimate assassin, as well as the perfect living ghost. No one can sense him, not even with observation haki. Only reflexes and instincts at beyond superhuman levels can track him."

"Something that you and that red-haired chap have in common, Vladdy."

Hoarfen snickered. "Vladdy?"

Tanya ignored Hoarfen. "Vlad, you mentioned that a doctor is always needed. Is he really one?"

"A surgeon, to precise. Self-taught. It's how he was able to commit those murders."

"You seem to know a lot about him, Vlad," Hoarfen said.

"Well, we were cell mates for a decade. He kept trying to cut me."

"And you would never let me take so much as a sliver of that beautiful flesh of yours."

"And you're never getting it."

"Ah! How mean. Well, there are other canvases on your ship. Like that handsome wolf."

"Hm?"

"His flesh is as dark as your own, Vladdy. His physique also resembles yours. And those beautiful eyes and that breathtaking hair. They look to be made of ice blue diamonds." Jack then pointed his knife at Hoarfen. "Such beauty should be immortalized."

Hoarfen grew his fangs and claws, smiling viciously as he got into a fighting stance. "Bring it on. I'll show you what a real 'Ripper' looks like."

"Hm. You won't see me stopping him. In fact, I might actually help him," Tanya said while looking away from Hoarfen.

"I'll kill you along with him, Pussy Cat."

"Oh, yeah, you Bastard Mutt?" Tanya grew her own claws and fangs.

"Oh! Beautiful!" Tanya looked at Jack. " Her skin is also perfectly dark. Her eyes are as beautiful as shinning gold! Her hair is as dark as a raven's, like yours is Vladdy! And that perfect physique! She is the most beautiful woman I have seen yet! She must be immortalized!"

Tanya shivered at Jack out of disgust. "Creep."

"I can help you immortalize her," Hoarfen said with a smile.

"I will gut you, mutt."

"Enough." Everyone looked at Vlad. "You can try and kill one another later. For now, it is time for us to leave this island. The shipwrights should have finished repairing our ship hours ago."

"About damn time. This place is boring," Hoarfen sighed out of relief.

"I've already had our provisions sent to the ship. We're ready to go," Tanya replied.

"Good. Ready to say goodbye to your old home, Jack?"

"For a chance to travel with you, Vladdy? Of course! I am already looking forward to the art that I will create."

"Good. Let's go."

The Bloody Pirates casually walked towards the harbor. They were some of the only people out on the street. Jack explained that it wasn't anything unusual. However, when they reached the harbor, they saw something that was.

There were two marine battleships around the one they stole. The Harbormaster was there, speaking with a Vice Admiral. Then, the Vice Admiral spotted crew. "YOU!"

The marines and the Harbormaster spotted the criminals. The Harbormaster got behind the marines in fear, hoping for protection, while the marines all prepared their weapons, pointing their guns and infusing their swords with haki.

The Vice Admiral stepped forward. "Upstart of the Beast Pirates, Ice Wolf Hoarfen!"

"Hm?"

"Former Vice Captain of the Queen Cat Pirates, Tanya the Cheetah!"

Vlad looked at Tanya. "You were a Vice Captain? Impressive."

"Meh, it's no big deal. My crew wasn't all that awesome, especially my captain. She was pathetic. Pretty much the polar opposite of you."

"Mass Serial Killer, Jack the Ripper!"

"Oh, they already identified me. Impressive."

"I suppose that being seen with us made it obvious."

"Oh, Vladdy, you shouldn't place the blame on yourself."

The Vice Admiral then began to sweat, and even gulped in fear. "V-Vladimir Tepes, A.K.A. The Bloody Devil!" Vlad then looked right into the Vice Admiral's eyes, making the man shake in fear. "You are all under arrest! You will be taken back to Level Six of Impel Down!"

"We refuse," Vlad said immediately.

"Refusal is not an option! You will return to Impel Down without resistance! If you try to resist, we will use lethal force!"

"Then use it, boy." The Vice Admiral then shivered... when Vlad's eyes actually started to glow blood red. Then, Hoarfen's eyes started to glow ice blue, his claws, fangs, ears, and tails developing. Tanya's eyes were glowing a golden color, her own animal characteristics developing. Then, Jack's eyes started to glow a soulless white, a crescent moon smile forming in his face, as knives started to slowly appear from his sleeves.

The Vice Admiral was terrified. He had never felt so much murderous intent before... and he was unfortunate enough to stand before the Yonko, Big Mom.

The man then took another gulp. "All men, ready your weapons!" The marines did as they were ordered. "Aim!" The sound of guns being cocked was heard. "FI-!"

The sound of blood splattering was heard. The Vice Admiral's eyes were open wide from shock and fear... from seeing Vlad right in front of him. "You were taking too long." The Vice Admiral coughed up blood before looking down to see that Vlad had impaled him with his bare hand. "Bloody..." The Vice Admiral looked back up at the face of his killer. "Urchin."

The Vice Admiral then became skewered with spikes made of blood, all protruding from every part of his body. He was dead in an instant.

"VICE ADMIRAL!"

A marine with tears in his eyes pointed his gun at Vlad's head. However, before he could pull the trigger, his gun was moved away, and in his line of vision... was Hoarfen, eyes still glowing, with a viciously evil smile on his face.

"Ah-ah-ah," Hoarfen said while wagging his finger in front of the frightened marine. He then crushed the gun in his hand, horrifying the marine. Then, Hoarfen grabbed the man by his neck and shoulder... and bit off a chunk of the man's shoulder, making his blood spew everywhere like a water hose. The poor man died of blood loss in a matter of seconds.

More marines pointed at the two killers, but before they could even place a finger on the trigger, they were torn to ribbons. It was so quick, that they were alive long enough to not only see their severed body parts, but also be able to look up to see who had killed them. Before them was the beautiful Tanya, who was seductively licking the blood off of her claws. At least the last thing they saw before they died was beautiful. Evil, but beautiful.

One marine was so terrified, that he turned to run to the ship. When he looked towards the ship, he saw Jack the Ripper standing before him, a normal smile on his face. Then, he took out a scalpel. The marine looked at the knife in fear before looking back up at Jack. Jack then moved the knife around the marine's face at lightning speed for around a second.

The marine's look of fear never disappeared... until his face did. It feel off the poor man's head like a mask. Before the skin hit the ground, Jack caught it, and watched the marine fall to his knees, dead.

Jack held up the skin. "Ah, you died with such a beautiful look on your handsome face. You died a work of art, my boy."

As Jack was admiring the skin, Hoarfen appeared and snatched it out of his hands. "Don't waste food!" When he said that, he ate the face.

"Ah! Hoarffy! How could you do that to art?!"

"Hoarffy? Art? You call what you do art? I think it's a waste of food."

"Oh, how sad. You have no taste for art."

"I don't give a shit about art. I just care about what I eat."

"Oh, you poor child. How Vladdy must suffer."

"I don't care." The two men looked to see that Vlad and Tanya had just finished slaughtering the rest of the marines. It looked like an image of Hell.

"Oh! A thing of beauty! You always were an artist, Vladdy."

"Now that's a real waste of food."

"Shut up, you Cannibalistic Mutt," Tanya said with a glare.

"Make me, you Bitchy Pussy."

Tanya grew a tick mark. "Bitchy? Oh, I'll definitely shut you up."

"Enough," Vlad said sternly. He then turned towards the town. Willing the blood in his body to strengthen the muscles in his eyes, Vlad greatly increased his vision. About three miles away, the Harbormaster was running away in terror, trying to escape the demons on the bay.

Still seeing the man, Vlad began to manipulate the blood around him. With a flick of his wrist, a tentacle of blood shot through the city, and wrapped around the Harbormaster's leg. The elderly man fell on his face, breaking his glasses and nose. He clawed at the ground, trying to escape, but it was all for naught.

He was easily dragged across the city, his skin being torn off from the rough dragging he was receiving. He was even bashed against some of the cars, trees, and lampposts around the city. Finally, he was thrown against the ship. When he looked up, he screamed in absolute terror. Two warships worth of marines, slaughtered and torn to pieces, littered all around the harbor. What was worse was when he saw the glowing golden, blue, and white eyes staring at him. Before him were not humans, monsters, or demons, but devils.

Then, a black boot stomped before his vision. The old man looked up, and saw blood red eyes staring down at him, the most terrifying eyes of all. Before him was the Devil himself. The old man even wet himself as Satan knelt down to look him in the eye, pleading to God to just let him die of a heart attack. That sweet relief never came.

"How unfortunate." How could a voice so beautiful sound so terrifying? "You know, I was feeling merciful. I was in a fairly good mood when I came. Then, you had to ruin it by summoning these... maggots. If you hadn't done something so foolish, you might have lived."

The Harbormaster was crying, literally cursing himself for his mistake. He knew just how viscous the Bloody Devil was. He even saw how evil he was first hand as a young man. The moment he found the Devil's old poster was the moment he should have just ran. Why did he do something as stupid as summon the marines? In fact, why didn't he ask for an Admiral? Why was he such a fool?!

Then, he felt a sharp pain. He looked to see that the Bloody Devil had impaled his shoulder... with just a finger. "Say, do you know what happens to the human body when the blood flow is reversed?" Before the Harbormaster could say anything, Vlad did just that.

The Harbormaster exploded like an overfilled water balloon. His blood splattered across everything, from the dock, to all three ships, to even the ocean. However, Vlad did not have one speck of blood on his body.

"GLORIOUS!" Vlad looked behind him to see that none of his crew mates had blood on them either. He wasn't surprised. He knew they were more than fast enough to avoid getting blood on them. "Oh, Vladdy, your artistic talents know no equal! You have painted the entire harbor in a glorious crimson color! So beautiful!"

"Hm, you're a pretty interesting guy."

"Oh, Tanny, you're such a charmer, you lovely little kitten."

"Tanny?"

"Jack has a weird habit of giving people nicknames like that. You get used to it." Vlad then sensed something. "It seems one is still alive." Vlad walked towards the pile of corpses, and kicked a few bodies way. At the bottom was a fully intact marine. His breathing was labored, and had four gashes on his chest that looked to be too wide for Tanya's claws, so Vlad deduced that he was Hoarfen's victim.

As Vlad looked down at the marine, He created a sword of blood, and held it over the man's head, preparing to impale him.

"Vladdy, wait." Vlad looked back at Jack. "Could you please let me keep this one?"

"For what?"

"Vladdy, art is a mystery. And a surprise. I don't want to spoil your gift."

"Gift?"

"On that note, could you please slay that bird above us?"

Without a word, or even trying to argue or ask why, Vlad threw his blood sword into the air without looking. Palm towards the sky, he waited for a couple of minutes, before a giant bird as large as a whale fell on his palm, without making him so much as grunt or twitch.

"Oh, Vladdy, you're too kind. Now, which ship is ours?"

"Hm... Tanya, could you analyze all three ships, and see which is superior?"

"On it." She disappeared. It took about three minutes, one minute for each ship, before she returned. "Well, how do you like that. The provisions we actually bought have been placed in the left ship. Must belong to that Vice Admiral you killed. It's also the nicest of the three."

"And what of the ship at the right?"

"It has some provisions, but nothing else noteworthy."

"Are you able to carry all the provisions onto the Vice Admiral's ship?"

"Oh, please." She disappeared once more, and returned in less than a minute. "Done."

"Tanny, by chance, did you find any music?"

"Music? Well, there was a record player in the captain's quarters in the left ship."

"EXCELLENT! Vladdy, would you please allow me to have the player?"

"Sure. Now then, let's set sail." With that, the Bloody Pirates, with Vlad carrying the giant bird and groaning marine, boarded the ship, and set sail.

"Now, Vladdy, I will be taking these two. Oh, and Hoarffy, be a dear and get that player for me. Place it in the cargo hold of the ship."

"Yeah, whatever." Hoarfen did as he was asked, not caring about what the weirdo was gonna do with a boring old record player.

"What are you planning, Jack?"

"Oh, Vladdy. You are so impatient." Jack then took hold of the man and giant bird, and effortlessly took them out of Vlad's hands. "It may take about half an hour, but it will be worth it, dear. Trust Old Papa Jack." Vlad just hummed. With a smile, Vlad walked towards the cargo hold. He struggled a bit to get the huge bird through the small doorway. The sound of the bird's bones breaking were heard as Jack forced the corpse through.

Finally in the cargo hold, Jack created a make-shift operating table for the marine, who was still groaning in pain. Then, he walked over to the record player, and saw that Hoarfen also grabbed a box full of records. "Oh! How thoughtful of him. I didn't even ask." He began to look through the records.

"Hm. Nope. No. No. Oh dear lord, that Vice Admiral actually has THIS piece of rubbish? He deserved to be killed by Vladdy. Hm? Oh, joy!" Jack then took out a record. "Ode to Joy! It seemed that marine had at least a tiny bit of taste."

Jack then put in the record, and took a moment to enjoy the melody. "Ah, splendid. A work of musical art." Jack then heard the sound of the marine groaning, and looked behind him. "Oh, you are awake."

"W-Where am I?"

"Don't worry, love."

The marine looked, and was horrified. "JACK THE RIPPER!"

"Oh my, my reputation precedes me. What an honor."

The marine tried to escape, but ended up getting tied to the table in the blink of an eye. "LET ME GO, YOU SICK BASTARD!"

"Oh, I'm afraid I can't do that, dear." Jack then took out his knife. "I need to make you into art." The man's eyes widened in terror. "Now, a good man is singing a lovely song. Let's not waste his talents. You should sing alongside him. Now..." Jack's eyes started to glow soulless white. **"Start singing."**

* * *

Tanya had begun to cook dinner for herself and Vlad, listening to the strange song Jack was playing. Hoarfen was lying on his back, looking up at the starry sky, while eating an arm from one of the marines he killed. Vlad was in the captain's quarters, looking over the maps to see what the next possible destination would be.

Then, as the choir of the song started to sing at their highest, the sound of the man's screams of agony was heard. All three crew members swore they heard Jack singing along with the choir. He was obviously enjoying himself as he tortured that marine. The pirates were becoming more and more curious about what Jack was doing.

* * *

Tanya and Vlad were enjoying their dinner before they sensed Jack walking up the stairway. However, they sensed another spirit. A powerful one at that. It wasn't at their level. More like in the same league as the Vice Admiral Vlad effortlessly killed. However, as the spirit came closer, everyone sensed that whatever was with Jack was more than powerful enough to kill the Vice Admiral.

After Vlad and Tanya finished their dinner, the two walked to the entrance of the cargo hold, and waited for Jack. Hoarfen was already there, staring at the door with his arms crossed. As the other pirates joined him, they waited for the door to open.

They didn't have to wait long.

Jack walked out with a crescent moon smile. "My lovely lady and handsome gentlemen! A present to you, the first of many Chimera!"

Then, out of the shadow of the doorway, the marine walked out. Jack had surgically fused the man with the giant bird Vlad killed. His arms had feathers attached to them, with talons at the end of both hands. Jack had exchanged the marine's eyes with the bird's, giving him the keen eyesight of the bird of prey. Jack even gave the man the bird's beak, albeit sized down to match the head. The man looked like a hybrid Zoan.

As a sort of test, Vlad cut his hand, used his blood to grab three barrels, and threw all three of them at the creature. It slashed the first two with it's talons before destroying the final one with a single peck, not getting so much as a splinter. "Impressive."

"Huh, it's almost like you made an artificial Zoan... why does that sound familiar," Hoarfen asked.

"It's not like it matters, Mutt. What does matter is how powerful that... thing is."

"Oh? You wish for a demonstration, Tanny?"

"I believe we would all enjoy that, Jack."

"As you wish, Vladdy." Jack then looked towards the starboard side. "Fortunately, we have a test subject. The crew members looked to see a pirate ship sailing towards them. "Now, my dear, daddy has a job for you." The monster looked towards it's creator... his eyes glowing soullessly. **"Slaughter that pirate crew."**

* * *

The creature spread it's wings, and flew towards the ship. All four members walked over to watch the carnage. They all had keen eyesight and advanced night vision, so they might as well be getting ready to watch a show.

The creature then landed on the ship with a heavy smash.

"What the hell?!"

"A Zoan?!"

"Dumbass has a death wish! Kill him!"

The pirates then started to fire a barrage of bullets at the monster... and he just stood there and took it. The pirates quickly ran out of bullets.

"Keh, what a loser."

"So he just came here to die?"

"Pathetic. Let's go after that marine warshi-"

The monster threw out it's arms fast enough to create a powerful wind that sent many of the pirates slamming into the rails of the ship, a few others actually falling off the ship.

"What the hell?!"

"How the hell is he still alive?!"

"Just shut up and kill him again!"

The pirates then aimed their reloaded guns at the beast, and where about to fire. However, the monster screeched. The Bloody Pirates were actually able to see the vibrations caused by the monster's scream. The pirates were gripping their ears, trying to drown out the horrible screech. Some of their ears popped. Others had blood flowing out of their ears. The most unfortunate ones not only had their ears explode with blood, but their eyes as well. Needless to say, the truly unlucky ones died from the screech alone.

"W-What the hell is this guy?!"

"CUT HIS FUCKING HEAD OFF!"

The pirates charged at the monster, preparing to cut it to ribbons. However, when the first pirate swung his sword, the blade completely shattered on impact, shocking all of the pirates. Then, they watched in horror as the monster impaled the pirated with it's bare hand, and threw him away into the ocean. Then, the creature released one more roar before it charged at the pirates.

* * *

Hoarfen whistled. "Damn. That thing is tough."

"It seems practically invincible," Vlad stated.

"It was shot countless times in all directions. Some of those bullets even penetrated the skull. It obviously sustained fatal injuries that would kill most creatures. The only thing that I can think of that could survive a bullet to the head is a Logia... and more than likely Vlad. How the hell did you make that, Jack," Tanya asked, genuinely curious.

"Tut, tut, Tanny. A magician never reveals his tricks, nor does the artist. Art must be wholly unique and original. Something that only the artist can create. If I were to reveal my secrets, countless charlatans would make inferior copies of my lovelies, and pass it on as their own creations."

The creature then returned, it's talons, feathers, and face covered in blood. Vlad walked up to it, wiped off some blood with his thumb, and licked it off. "Hm. Weak. These pirates were pathetic. Taking away from the demonstration of it's invulnerability, it took just enough time to slaughter those maggots." Vlad then... caressed the creature's cheek. "I would say that this 'Chimera' was a success."

"Oh, Vladdy! Your words of praise are almost orgasmic!"

Hoarfen appeared next to the beast, and patted it's shoulders. "Tough bod. Hey, Jack, how come this thing isn't attacking us?"

"Ah! Hoarffy?! Do you think so little of me?! Of course I would design my pretties to see us as non targets. I want to impress, Vladdy, so of course I wouldn't make my pretties attack him. Also, I can't afford for him, you, or Tanny to destroy the first of my children. It is nowhere near powerful enough to challenge any of you. If I am speaking truthfully, it would probably take ten of that model to challenge you or Tanny. I don't even want to **imagine** how many would be required to challenge Vladdy."

That caught Vlad's interest. "So you can create more?"

"I just need the right material. That marine was the perfect mold, and the bird you slew was the perfect material."

"Does it have to be a fit human male," Tanya asked.

"No. It does not. It's just that much simpler."

"Then, what, you can make an old fart or a brat into one of these things," Hoarfen asked with his hands behind his head.

"Tis not impossible, just very difficult. However, turning an aged man into one of my darlings does sound interesting. A child would be just as difficult, but maybe even more worth the effort."

"Aw, man. That's more food gone to waste," Hoarfen pouted.

"Hm, interesting. It seems you have another use besides being a doctor."

"Hm?"

Vlad used his blood to grab a map, and pointed to a certain area. "There are a plethora of uninhabited islands in both Paradise and the New World. We will go to one of the New World islands when the time is right. For now, we need to obtain an island of our own here in Paradise, so that Jack can create more of Chimeras."

"Oh, Vladdy! You truly appreciate my art?!"

"I do. They seem interesting. Who knows? You may create one that could be strong enough to..."

"To do what, Vladdy?"

"Hm, for now, that is not important. What is important is that we obtain an island for ourselves in Paradise."

"Cool," Hoarfen responded.

"Let's go find ourselves a new home," Tanya said.

"Oh, an island all for my darlings to be born. Is it my birthday," Jack asked with a dreamy look in his face.

Vlad walked towards the hull of the ship, staring out at the starlit sea. His reign of the shadows was beginning, with not only an new addition to his ruthless crew, but the aspect of creating an army of all but invincible monsters. Slowly, but surely, he was getting close and closer to his ultimate goal.


	4. Chapter 4

The Bloody Pirates were spending their time doing as they pleased. Tanya was cooking some food for herself and Vlad, and maybe just a bit for Jack. Hoarfen was in his wolf form on the deck. The smallest form he could take was that of a dire wolf. In this form, he was chewing on a severed leg, trying to eat the femur. Jack was in the storage room, cleaning his creation. He was polishing the creatures feathers and sharpening its talons and beak. Finally, Vlad was in the captain's quarters, wearing a pair of reading glasses as he examined a map. He was looking for an ideal island to make into a base of operations in Paradise.

As they were passing the time, they all stopped their activities abruptly. Vlad looked up, took off his glasses, and walked towards the deck of the ship. As he exited the room, he saw that Hoarfen was staring out towards the direction of what they sensed in his human form. Vlad jumped and easily landed next to his First Mate. Tanya walked up and stood next to Vlad, still drying her hands. Jack and his creation walked up to the group, standing next to Tanya.

"You all can sense it, correct," Vlad asked.

"There's something interesting approaching us. Something large," Tanya answered.

Hoarfen sniffed the air. "Ooh, I smell bodies. About five hundred at the least."

"Truly?! Oh, the amount of art I could make with that."

"Don't even think about messing with my food, Jack."

"Oh, Hoarffy, you shouldn't be so greedy."

Vlad ignored the conversation between Hoarfen and Jack, and walked up to the rail of the ship. He closed his eyes to concentrate, channeling as much blood into his eyes as needed. When he felt they were strong enough, he opened his eyes, and saw the target. "A galleon. A seven-mast one at that. It's about twice the size of this marine battleship. It seems to be low in the water."

"Guess that means it's fully loaded. Treasure, maybe," Tanya asked.

"Hm, for some reason, I don't believe so. However, I do believe it has significant value to us."

"So, captain, are we going to raid it," Hoarfen asked, excitement in his voice.

"Of course we are."

Tanya giggled. "So, captain, how are we going to handle the ship's crew?"

Vlad didn't answer right away. He turned towards his crew, his face completely shadowed, with only a blood red orb visible. Then, he answered Tanya's question:

" **What crew?"  
**

When the pirates heard their captain's "answer", their own faces were shadowed, their own eyes glowing. The only difference was that shining, crescent moon smiles appeared on their faces.

* * *

On the ship, dirty men were cleaning the deck. They were obviously pirates. Some were scrubbing the floors, others were getting more water, while others were just sleeping.

One of the sleepers was kicked awake by one of his crew mates.

"Oi! Get off ya lazy ass, and get rid of this water! Looks like you took a shit in it."

The man groaned. "Waking up a man is bad luck."

"Then it's a good thing I only woke up an ugly toad."

The man snarled, and grabbed the bucket. "When you least expect it, Mal."

"Just get to work, Gibbley."

Gibbley walked away from the other, grumbling all the way. "Waking me up from me nap. I was having a damn good dream." Gibbley walked to the rails, and prepared to throw the water. "I should dump this muck on that snobby bastard's head." He then threw the water.

He was about to walk away and try to find a new nap spot, until he heard something. It sounded like tapping on the side of the ship. He looked over. Since he was on the side opposite of the sun, it was hard to see in the shadowed section of the ship. However, he thought he saw something. He couldn't really tell what it was. At first, he thought it might have been a patch of barnacles, but it was way to large. He leaned over the rails to try and get a better look.

He then saw the object move. It looked like a head was moving up. Then, he saw blood red orbs.

The man was terrified. He thought a fishman had come to attack the crew. He was about to turn and warn his mates, but before he could so much as yell when he opened his mouth, he was impaled. A blood red spear went right into his mouth and out his head. He was then dragged overboard, no one noticing him at all.

* * *

"Hey, Jon! Get rid of this crate of cannonballs! It's in the way!"

"On it, mate!" Jon went and grabbed the crate. "Omph! Heavy bugger." Jon then carried the crate to one of the storage rooms. He opened the door by himself, struggling a bit to turn the handle with one hand, and opening the rest with his foot. He walked into the room, and felt off.

He shivered. "Brr. It's cold in here."

He carried the cannonballs towards the far back, where the rest of them were. He placed the crate down, and was about to leave. However, something caught his eye.

He was actually surprised he was able to notice it in the darkness of the room. It was on one of the other crates. He reached for it, and carefully picked it up. "Fur?" He started to rub the hair. "It's so soft. Beautiful." Jon then looked up, and saw something else.

"A wolf?"

He began to gently pet the cheek of the majestic creature. "It's so soft. When did we ever get this? Did the captain kill this while he was on one of his hunting trips?" He then rubbed the wolf's head, staring into the ice blue eyes. "It's still warm. Magnificent."

"Well, aren't you enjoying yourself." Jon's eyes widened in shock when the wolf spoke. He felt terror when the beast actually... smiled. "Enjoying the feel of my fur, **dinner**?"

Jon was too shocked to respond. Then, the wolf breathed on him. Jon wasn't able to breathe. He reached towards his face to feel that his nose and mouth had been covered with ice. He was about to run, but before he could even think of moving a leg, his head was crushed by the jaws of the wolf. The corpse was then dragged over the crates, the sound of tearing flesh and breaking bones being heard.

* * *

"Oi! Jon! What's takin' ya?!" Mal waited for a response. "Jon!"

"Keh. Bet the bastard is tryin' to nap like Gibbley."

"No. Jon's a good man. He doesn't slack off like that pile of crap."

"Where is that warthog, anyway?"

"Probably went inside to drown in grog, again."

"Worthless chimp."

"Anyway, I'm gonna see about Jon. Fool probably got knocked out by hitting his head on a low beam again."

The other man laughed at that. "Sounds like the fool. Hm? Oi! Russel! The bloody hell are you doin'?!"

A very large man went off up some stairs away from the work. "Smoke break!"

"Well leave some ciggies for me! Don't smoke them all like ya did last time, ya damned chimney!"

"Sod off!"

The first man growled, while the other man laughed. "As friendly as ever, eh Rick?"

"Just get Jon, Mal."

Mal chuckled once more before he walked into the storage room the last man was seen in. "Jon! Oi, Jon! You knocked out in here, again?!" Mal walked around.

As he walked, he nearly fell after slipping on something. He was able to regain his balance by grabbing onto a crate. He looked down to see a red liquid on the ground. "Red rum? Tch. Gibbley! Are you in here, ya fat bastard?! You know the cook will gut you for this, right, ya damned pig?!"

Mal the heard a crunching noise. "There you are, you damned glutton. Have you seen Jon?" Mal walked over. "Hey, didn't you hear me? Stop stuffing you face, ya fu-" Mal stopped when he got closer... and saw Jon's horrified... half-eaten face.

Mal then finally noticed... that the poor man was being eaten... by a wolf.

The wolf stopped eating, and turned to look at Mal with gorgeous, ice blue eyes.

Terror completely overtaking him, Mal slowly walked back, never looking away from the wolf. As he walked, something waved before his eyes. It was a tail.

Terrified, Mal slowly looked up, and saw a pair of glowing, golden eyes looking down at him. The eyes fell down, and stood before him. He was now looking at a beautiful woman, with the ears of a cat on her head. The woman gave a beautiful smile that slightly calmed Mal down, before the sounds of five slashes was heard.

Nothing happened for a few seconds.

Then, Mal's head fell off of his shoulders. Next were his fingers, followed by his arms. Then, his entire torso fell to the ground. Finally, his legs fell. He was literally cut to pieces.

* * *

"Fucking Rick," Russel growled as he took out a pack of cigars, walking towards the rails of the hull. "I can smoke all the cigars I want. I don't need to save so much as a bud for that bastard."

Russel placed a cigar in his mouth and lit it with a match. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath of his favorite cancer. He released his breath, enjoying the sweet flavors of the cigar as he inhaled. "Awww, that's good."

Russel then opened his eyes and saw a man squatting right in front of him on the rails. "THE HELL?!"

Before Russel could grab his saber, the man took out a knife and moved it an beyond blinding speeds.

Russel stood completely still, shock frozen on his face. With a smile, the man took something from Russel's face. "Aw, such a beautiful piece of art." That was the last thing the man said before he fell off the rail.

* * *

"Russel? Russel?!"

A lanky man with bluish hair walked up the stairs. "There you are. Come on. Murdoc wants to see ya." Russel didn't move. "Russel?" The lanky man walked towards the much larger man. "Come on, mate. Murdoc needs your muscle." Still no response. "Russel?" The man then placed a hand on his crew mate's shoulder. He was able to slowly turn Russel... and saw that his face, including his eyes, muscles, and even the blood was gone. All that was there was a polished skull.

* * *

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"That was Stuart!"

"What the bloody hell is he screamin' about?!"

The two men ran to see what was wrong with their crew mate, while the others were wondering what was going on. As the two men ran, one slipped and fell on his back. "Ow."

"What are you doing, Murdoc?"

"Be quiet, Rick. I slipped on something. Some fool must have forgotten to dry this sp-" When Murdoc placed a hand on the spot he fell on, he was rendered silent. He brought his hand to his face, and saw this it was completely red.

Rick came closer. "Is that rum?"

"No. . . It's warm... and sticky. It feels just like-" Murdoc was interrupted when more of the liquid fell on his hand. Rick saw it too. The two men slowly looked up, and were horrified.

"OH, GOD!"

"GIBBLEY!"

When the two men screamed, the other crew members followed their gaze. They were horrified. They were looking at one of their crew mates, hanging by his neck from one of the masts, his jaw completely torn off, still dripping blood.

"MURDOC!"

The two men looked to see Stuart running towards them. The man fell down the stairs, and actually crawled to his crew mate. He had a mad look of absolute fear on his face. "RUSSEL! HE'S DEAD! SOMETHING TORE HIS FACE OFF!" Stuart then felt something fall on his face. He looked up, and screamed in horror. "GIBBLEY! OH, GOD!"

Rick was the first to recover from the horror. "PREPARE FOR BATTLE!" Everyone looked at the man. "THERE BE MONSTERS ON OUR SHIP! GET THE PISTOLS, SABERS, BOMBS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT CAN KILL ON THIS SHIP READY!"

"Sir!" All the men ran around, looking for anything to defend themselves.

Murdoc ran to grab his sword. He placed it on one of the cannons. Stuart was about to go for his sword, until he thought of a question for Rick. "Rick, should we inform the cap-" Stuart looked to see that Rick was already gone. "Did he go to tell?"

"Oi! What's that in the sky?!"

"It's a damned bird, ya bag of vomit! Don't get distracted by something so stupid while we're under attack!"

"R-Right! I'll go into the lower hull to warn-" The man was interrupted when something fell on his head. Whatever hit him made a sickening crack. The man fell, dead from being struck on the head.

"JOEY!"

"What the hell?!"

One of the men looked to see what had killed their mate. "O-Oh, god."

The other man looked and looked as if he was about to vomit. "R-Rick."

The man's head had a look of shock on his decapitated face.

Before any of the men could react, something else fell. They looked to see that it was Rick's body, shoulders torn to shreds, and his... neck looking even worse.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS HAPPENING?!"

"THE CARGO! IT MUST BE CURSED!"

"STOP SHITTING YOURSELVES, YA BUNCH A COCKROACHES!" Everyone looked at Murdoc. "WE ARE MEN! MEN DON'T COWER IN THE FACE OF DEATH! TO ARMS, YA BUNCH A KITTENS!"

"KITTENS?!"

"WE'RE LIONS, MURDOC!"

"THEN PROVE IT," Murdoc roared. "WHOEVER HAS BEEN KILLING OUR MEN IS ON THIS DAMNED SHIP! I DON'T CARE IF IT'S BECAUSE OF THE CARGO OR NOT! I'M NOT GONNA LET MYSELF BE KILLED BY SOME UNSEEN-" Murdoc then went silent.

"Murdoc," Stuart asked, confused as to why his outspoken friend suddenly went silent. Then, he began to scream bloody murder. "MURDOC?! WHAT'S WRONG?!"

"ME LEG! ME LEG! IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS SLICING THROUGH IT! SOMEONE! ANYONE! CUT OFF ME BLOODY LEG! STUART! MAKE YOURSELF USEFUL FOR ONCE! CUT OFF ME DAMN LEG!"

"BUT MURDOC-!"

"HELP ME, LAD! THE PAIN IS UNBEARA-" Murdoc began to scream some more, now grabbing his chest. "AAAAAAAHHHHH! IT'S IN ME CHEST! AAAAAHHHHH! ME HEAD! ME HEAD! MEHEAAAAAAAAADDDD!"

Then, a crimson spear shot out of Murdoc's head, killing the poor bastard. The men were now screaming like banshees. Two brave men died horrible fates, and no one knew why. Then, something happened.

Murdoc's body began to twitch. It was as if something was trying to get out. Then, bloody spikes shot out of Murdoc, and began to impale many of the men. The more men were stabbed, the more spikes of blood that appeared.

Screaming in horror, one of the men tried to find refuge in the storage cabin. As soon as he opened the door, he saw something astounding. An actual werewolf was standing, no, towering before him. The beast was literally looking down at him, bearing it's pearl white fangs, growling the whole time.

Before the man could react, he was impaled by the great beast's claws. As he coughed up blood, the werewolf lifted him with a single hand, bringing him up to eye level. While being stared at by ice blue eyes, the man felt like he was impaled a second time. Then, he felt a pull. He was in agonizing pain as the wolf slowly tore him in half. The relief came in a shower of blood that alerted everyone, right before the werewolf released an ear-splitting howl.

"CORNELL!"

"YOU ZOAN BASTARD!"

"KILL HIM!"

Four men pointed their rifles at the Zoan before them, but before they could pull the trigger, they all felt sharp pain on their necks. Then, their necks felt wet. They looked at one another... to see that their throats had been slit. They heard a giggle, and turned around. Behind them was a standing... female cheetah, licking her bloody claws with a smile.

"Killed... by another Zoan." That was the last thing one of the men said before all four of them fell dead.

"TWO DEVIL FRUIT USERS! GET THE SEA PRISM!"

"LOOK! ANOTHER ONE!"

The men turned to see what looked like a hawk man. One of the men didn't hesitate and shot the creature right in the heart. The man smiled in pride, before he looked right in the hawk man's eyes. They were still... alive.

Before he could aim again, the hawk man lunged towards him, and literally slashed the man in half with his talons.

"Im...po...ssi...ble. It was... sea... pri-" The man then literally fell apart.

"W-W-W-WHAT KIND OF DEVIL IS THAT?!"

The man who cried tried to turn and run, but instead ended up looking right into the eyes of evil. Soulless, glowing, white eyes. There was also a glowing, crescent smile. They were the only things illuminating the shadowed face.

The man was getting ready to at least stab the unknown being before him, but was stopped when something flashed before his eye. Then, the being reached towards him, and grabbed his head. The man was confused, even more so when the being seemed to get closer and grow taller. The being continued to smile at him with those cold, soulless eyes; and that villainous smile.

Then, the man's vision began to turn. What he saw made his eyes widen in shock. Before him was... his own, headless body. The being had decapitated him. As if his brain had finally registered the fact, the man began to feel cold, his vision turning black, and life finally leaving him. The man died in the being's arms, not realizing the being was actually petting his head. However, he still heard something from the being.

"A true work of art."

Stuart was trembling in fear, soiling himself as he watched the nightmare before him. The werewolf was tearing his crew mates to shreds, eating some of them along the way. The cat woman was a blur, but where ever her blur appeared, the men in the path became bloody ribbons. The hawk man was either slashing men to death with his talons, or flying them high into the air, only to drop them. They would all land with a splat. The most human looking of them all was arguably the most sadistic. The eyes, heart, liver, jaw, skull, and throat was the man's main targets. He would also slash some men's arms and legs to bloody pieces of shredded meat, slowly and agonizingly killing them in the most sadistic way of torture.

"T-These creatures are not Devil Fruit users." Stuart walked backward, gun pointed in the direction of the massacre. "T-These are true devils."

Stuart then walked into something he knew was powerful. He turned to see a man taller than him, more masculine, and far more terrifying. He slowly looked up to not see a face, but shadows illuminated only by two glowing red orbs. Just looking at the imposing figure made Stuart drop his gun. He just stared at the figure, not noticing how it slowly raised its arms. Then, Stuart saw nothing. All there was to see was darkness. At the same time he saw nothing, there was a sound. It was the last thing he ever heard.

 **Splat.**

* * *

Vlad looked at the lanky body, whose head he crushed by just clapping. He watched as it fell to its side, blood still seeping from its neck.

"Ha-ha! I love how brutal you can be!"

Vlad looked up. "Well, you look like you had a good time, Hoarfen. Enjoying the meat?"

Hoarfen took a bite out of a bicep he ripped off of one of the men he killed. "Eh. It could have been tougher."

"I'm a bit disappointed." Vlad looked at Tanya, who was walking up without so much as a speck of blood on her. "I can understand how they could fall for our stealth tactics, but I expected more of a fight when we revealed ourselves."

"Oh, Tanny, you can be so sweet, believing these walking canvases could make us exercise."

"He's got a point, ya flea bitten feline. No way these weak cuts of beef could get our blood pumping," Hoarfen said as he took a bite out of the freshly ripped off bicep.

Tanya sighed. "I was still hoping for at least a tiny bit of a challenge."

"That won't happen, Tanya." She looked towards her captain. "We are in Paradise, the weaker part of the Grand Line. It's highly unlikely we'll find a worthy opponent in these seas. The real fun will begin when we enter the New World," Vlad said with a devious smile. His words made his crew mates smile, excitement evident in all of them. "Now then..." Vlad looked up towards a door.

* * *

The door was kicked open. "WHAT'S ALL THIS RACKET?!" A mountain of a man stomped out of the room, looking pissed. He looked to be made of muscle, had very dark skin, wild hair, a long beard, and beady eyes. "There I were, resting, when I hear an ungodly noise! Are you moronic lot throwing another damn party out here like the worthless bitches ya a-" The captain was silenced when he saw the state of his ship and crew. "By the Sea Devil."

"Magnificent, isn't it?"

The captain looked up to see a man sitting above his room, looking out at the carnage. "WHO THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU?!"

The man looked down. "Does it matter?"

The captain snarled at the man, before he reached for something in his room. "I suppose not. After all, why would I need to know..." The captain took out a club as large as he was, and swung it down towards the intruder. "THE NAME OF A DEAD MAN?!"

The captain swung his club with all his might, and completely destroyed the roof of his room. He didn't look winded at all. He just stared at the dust cloud he created, expecting to see a bloody mess when it cleared.

"Ooh, you're pretty strong." The captain's eyes widened in shock when he realized the man was behind him. "And here I thought that was nothing but fat on your body."

The captain turned to see the man, not a scratch on him. "When did you-?" The captain's eyes then widened in rage. He snarled and then swung his club towards the intruder. He was swinging his massive club as quickly and as easily as if it were a sword. His strikes weren't wild either. They were precise and calculated. However, the man kept dodging his swings effortlessly. He was even doing it with his eyes close... smiling.

"DAMN YOU! STOP MOVING!"

"Hmph, if you insist." The man actually stopped moving.

The captain felt insulted when he did that, and prepared to bash the man's pretty little head in. He raised his club above his head, and swung it down with all his might. His attack connected, and a shock wave was created. It actually blew the sails of the ship, making it move faster.

The captain had a shit-eating smirk until he heard something. A crack. Then, his club began to break, until it completely snapped in half. The captain's eyes were completely wide with shock and disbelief. Then, he saw something even more shocking.

The man was completely unharmed. His eyes were closed, his smile never wavered, and his hands... were in his pockets. True to his word, he stopped moving.

Then, the man opened one, beautiful, blood-red eye. "Are you done?"

The captain was astonished. He subconsciously walked back, unable to believe that there was a man so powerful, that not even a strike form his club could affect him. When he felt the railing, he looked at it in surprise, and looked back towards the man. He didn't see him. Then, he felt something on his stomach. He looked down to see that the man was poking him. "I guess you are." With one push of a finger, the man sent the towering captain falling to the deck. He landed with a splat.

Groaning, the captain pushed himself off, and was wondering why he felt so wet. He wiped his arm, and looked to see that his hand was covered in blood. He looked down to see that he was on the body of one of his crew mates. He recognized the body, and got off of it immediately while screaming. "STUART?!"

The captain looked around, never getting up from the bloody floor. "MURDOC! RICK! JOEY!" The man then felt something drip on him. He looked up, and saw something that made his eyes shrink in astonishment. "Gibbely. My god." The captain then heard foot steps behind him. "You did this."

"Indeed. Though, not alone. However, I am the one who gave the order to make this happen."

"You... You... YOU..." The captain grabbed a sword near him. "YOU MONSTER!" He swung the sword, hoping to cut his stomach open. He was astonished when his sword was blocked by a crimson blade.

"Monster? Please. I am far more terrible than that." The captain looked up, and felt unimaginable fear. **"I am a devil."** The man was surrounded by blood, the fluid taking the form of human faces. Not just any faces, but the faces of the captain's crew. They were all screaming in anguish. It was like a vision of hell. "And you're dead."

The captain watched in horror as the devil before him raised his arm, surrounding it in the blood of his screaming mates. The blood became a horrifying blade, ready to cut the captain in half. Time seemed to slow as the man swung his blade. The captain saw his life flash before his eyes. Then, a memory came to be. It was his absolute last chance of survival.

"PARLAY!"

The blade stopped right before it so much as touched the man's skin. The sudden stop created a giant gust of wind that shook the very sea itself. "Oh? Haven't heard that in years."

"Y-You are a pirate, correct?"

"I am. You are as well, I assume, since you know about parlay."

"I-I'm actually a privateer."

"Ah, a 'pirate with a badge', you could say."

"A-Anyway, by accordance of the Code of the Brethren, you must take me to your captain so that I may negotiate with him!"

"Such is the law of piracy." The man then willed the blood around him to become a mighty crimson throne, fit for any king, and sat in the great seat of power. "Now, what do you have to negotiate with in order for me to spare your life?"

The captain's eyes widened. "Y-You're the captain?"

"I am."

"B-But you're so young."

The man chuckled. "Oh, believe me, I am **much** older than I look. And if your curious, those are the members of my crew."

The captain looked to see where the man was pointing, and was given yet another shock. Behind him was a werewolf, a woman with the ears and tail of a cat, a man licking a bloody knife, and a hawk man. "Five? My entire crew was slain by only five pirates? That's not possible. Not even the Devil Fruits should make such a small crew that powerful. WE HAD SEA PRISM! WE HAD NUMBERS! WE HAD WEAPONS! ARE ANY OF YOU EVEN HUMAN?!"

"Oh, we have far surpassed the title of even superhuman. My crew now belongs to the real of monsters, while I myself belong to the real of demons. However, that is of no importance." The captain felt something grab his chin, and felt his head turn towards the captain of these monsters. The captain then saw that his head was being moved... by blood. "I believe you were bargaining with the devil to spare your life. Now, what do you have to offer?"

"M-M-My ship! It's yours!"

"Hm, it is a good ship. I can definitely find quite a few uses for it. However, that won't be enough."

"Everything on my ship is yours! One of the storage rooms has over five hundred million in treasure! Another has weapons of the highest quality! It's all yours!"

"Oh. That is nice."

"Come on, Vlad." Vlad looked towards his crew mate. "Do we even need cash? We can just take whatever we want. It's more fun to kill."

"Now, now, Hoarfen. Money has it's uses. It would become to troublesome for us if we slaughter ever island we come across. We would need to keep some around in order to obtain supplies that not even we could obtain on our own. Plus, there will be times when even I am not in a killing mood, so having money to make clean purchases would be nice ever once in a while."

Hoarfen sighed as he shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever you say, captain. So, can I eat that guy, now?"

The captain shook in absolute terror. "B-But our agreement!"

"What agreement? Did I ever say I accepted your offer?" The captain was terrified. "Besides, you're keeping something important from me."

"Eh?"

"You mentioned storage rooms, but you made them sound as if they were not all that important. Almost as if you had something far more valuable. What would that be?"

"The cargo! In the lower hull!"

"And what would the cargo be?"

"Slaves!" Vlad's eyes lit up in interest, but he wasn't the only one. "I supply directly to World Nobles! They're good quality! I swear!"

The captain then felt something cold near his neck. He then felt hands on his face. Hands as cold as death itself. "Tell me, love..." The captain looked to his right to see one of the men right next to him, looking at him with the eyes of a demon, a knife in his hand. "Just how high quality are these slaves? And what kind are they?"

The captain felt even colder on the left, and looked to see the eyes of a wolf. "Are there any children? I do love some **veal**. Soft and chewy. So fun to **eat**."

The captain was terrified. He really was in the presence of monsters.

"That's enough, you two." All three of them looked up towards the devil. "That man just gave us a lovely present. We shouldn't spoil our surprise by asking what's inside. It's more fun to find out ourselves."

"Ooh, very true, Vladdy."

"Huh, didn't think of that."

The captain then felt the cold disappear. He looked at both sides to see that both of the monsters were gone. He looked behind him to see that they were back in their original spots. "When did they-?"

"Oi." The captain jumped in fear, and looked towards the devil. "You're offering is adequate. For giving me such gifts, I shall allow you to leave with your life. Take one of your dingies. Leave this ship."

"Well, aren't you cruel, Vlad." Vlad and the now former captain looked towards the beautiful cat woman. "Look at the size of that pig. He'll sink that little boat before he reaches any island near here. He'll be shark food in a matter of minutes. Maybe even a snack for a sea king."

The large man's eyes widened, knowing the woman was right. Then, fear flared up once more. "Then, why don't I eat him?" The man looked up in fear to see the werewolf standing over him, his eyes glowing, and his fangs shining dangerously. "It would be a waste to let a bunch of overgrown fish to have this dish instead of me." The man was shaking in terror, actually wetting his pants.

"Well, it seems you have two choices." The man looked towards the devil, his face resting on a fist with his legs crossed. He looked like a demon king. "You can stay on this ship, and be devoured by my first mate." The former captain heard the sound of licking lips. "Or, you can go out to sea, and try to survive the harsh waters on an insignificant boat. What is your choice?"

The man didn't answer. Like a frightened animal, he scrambled onto his feet, and ran as fast as he could to the nearest dingy. When he jumped onto it, he cut the rope with a broken sword, and allowed it to fall. The sound of slashing water, and what could have been snapping wood, was heard.

* * *

Hoarfen was laughing his ass off, reverting back to his human form. "That was hilarious! That guy was pathetic! And he was supposed to be a captain. Loser."

"Not that it matters. He is no longer of any importance." Vlad rose from his crimson throne, which became blood once more the moment he got off of it. "Now, let's go see our prize." The words of their captain made Hoarfen and Jack smile in anticipation. Tanya looked indifferent.

The group went down the stairs towards the lower hull. They passed many bedrooms, storage rooms, and a few bathrooms. They found the treasure and the weapons room, but they didn't care about that. Though, Tanya did look interested when she found where the food was kept. Finally, they found two large doors.

"Here we are." Vlad then kicked the doors, knocking them off of their hinges. When he did, he was shot in the head. The force pushed his head back. "Ow."

"Ow?! Did he say ow?!"

"How is he still alive?! I shot him in the head!"

The two men got their answer when Vlad looked at them. The bullet hadn't pierced Vlad's skull. It couldn't. Blood was pushing the bullet away. Then, the bullet was encased with blood, and was being moved towards Vlad's left arm. When it reached his palm, more blood accumulated, and took the form of a pistol.

"You can have your bullet back."

Vlad fired when he said that. The bullet went through the head of the man on Vlad's right, who was the man who shot him to begin with. The bullet caused the man's head to actually explode. His headless corpse took a few steps before falling on it's back.

His companion stared at his friend's corpse in horror before pointing the gun back at the intruders. However, before he could even aim, he felt something impale him. He coughed up blood and looked down to see an arm in his stomach. He looked up to see Vlad from before, glaring at him with blood red eyes. He then felt Vlad lift him over his head. Then, he felt unimaginable pain. He screamed in anguish as he felt his body literally being pulled apart, before he was finally ripped in half, his blood spewing everywhere like a fountain.

"Well, that was satisfying."

"Looked like fun," Tanya said.

Vlad looked around. "Oh, what a sight."

There were hundreds of slaves in the dark hull. Men, women, and even children were in chains behind cages. There were children who looked barley five years old, and elders who looked close to death. Some of the men were holding the woman and some children, their eyes filled to the brim with fear.

Many of them jumped and screamed when Hoarfen smashed his hands against the bars, staring at some of the prisoners with his glowing orbs. "Ooooh. So... much... meat. They look... delicious. It's a fucking all you can eat buffet! VLAD! LET ME EAT ONE! AT LEAST A BRAT!" A child buried it's face in the body of a woman, who was trying desperately to hid the child, tears falling like waterfalls from her eyes.

"Now, now, Hoarffy. You shouldn't be so wasteful. I could make such art with these creatures." Jack appeared before another cage, his eyes glowing soullessly. He took out his knife, and sadistically licked the blade. "Oh, the countless ways I could immortalize them. Maybe I should just rip out the gems they call eyes. Or better yet, fillet them to keep their precious skin. Ooh, maybe I should preserve their organs. Or, best of all, use them in one of my experiments. Medical science needs to evolve continuously, after all. To do that... **many lives must be sacrificed.** " The prisoners in that cage were shaking in horror as well. They honestly believed that these men were far, far worse than the men before.

However, Vlad wasn't listening to his crew mates at all. He was analyzing the area. As he looked around, something caught his eye. "Jack, you said you could make even an old man into one of your Chimeras, correct?"

"Hm? I did, indeed. Ah, do I sense a challenge, Vladdy?"

"You just might. Wait here." Vlad walked towards a specific cage. Effortlessly, he ripped the cage door off with just one hand, and threw the door out of his way. It landed with a loud and heavy clunk that made the floor crack. When he walked in, one of the male prisoners tried to attack him. Without even so much as looking at him, Vlad killed the poor fool by punching him in the face. With physical strength alone, he reduced the man's head to a sickening pile of bone, blood, and a bit of brain.

Vlad walked into the cage, and looked down at something. An old man, sitting cross-legged on the floor, who's eyes were shadowed, even in the darkness of the hull. He looked to be skin and bone. He had no hair on his scalp, but had a beard that reached his waist. He looked quite old. At first glance, one would guess he was in his nineties, and would probably be right. He looked so frail, that it seemed even the wind could kill him. He didn't look fit to be a slave at all.

"Elderly one, why have you been taken as a slave, and not slain?"

The old man was silent at first. Most of the prisoners thought he was dead, but Vlad's crew knew otherwise. They could actually hear his slow, quiet heartbeat; smell the weak blood flowing through him; and see his extremely slow, maybe even forced breathes.

"I... do not... know," the old man answered with a raspy voice. He sounded like he was struggling to just talk. "What value... does a withered old man," he began to cough. "Possibly have? I have been asking myself this question ever since I was taken. My only guess... is for the World Nobles to throw me in a pit with ravenous beasts."

"That makes sense. I'm sure the World Nobles would enjoy watching wild beasts tear a withered old man to shreds."

"That... is... their..." the old man coughed violently once more. "Nature."

"And yet, I sense no fear in your voice."

"What is there to fear? I am already at death's door. I have nothing left. Not even my own life."

"Oh? And why do you say that?"

The man was silent for a bit. "There is nothing the World Nobles can take from me... that fate hasn't already stolen." Vlad remained silent. "I was strong, once. I was proud of myself in my prime. I had the strength to lift an oak from it's roots. I was undefeated in my village's contest of strength. Then, pirates attacked. My arrogance led me to believe I could defeat them. I drove them off, only for one of them to get one last lucky shot. A shot from one of the pistols destroyed my right knee, taking away my leg. They had crippled me."

"Without my leg, I could no longer train. My proud body slowly disappeared, until I was nothing more than a shadow of my former self. Then, the woman I loved, whom I chose to marry," the old man coughed, "left me, and took my wealth with her. Her last words to me were, 'I can't stand living with a weakling such as yourself. You're not the man I fell in love with. You're just filth.' Years of caring for her, of protecting her, of earning the money that gave her the life she enjoyed, and she repays me by taking every beri I had after I was crippled from protecting our village."

Vlad remained silent. The old man coughed some more. "As if that was not cruel enough, after becoming homeless, I was attacked by robbers. I tried to defend myself..." The old man then finally looked up. "Only for them to slash my eyes out." He opened his eyes to show that they were completely white. He was truly blind.

"Fate has taken so much from me. My prime. My love. My wealth. My sight. I have nothing left. I have nothing left to lose, except for this miserable, worthless life."

"But now that you have nothing to lose, you now have everything to gain."

The man was confused by Vlad's words. "What are you talking about?"

"What if I told you that I could give you everything fate has taken from you, and more?"

"What?"

"I can give you back strength. More strength than you could possibly dream of. Strength that would put even your prime to shame. I can even return your youth. You would regain the use of your currently lame leg. But most of all, I could return to you your sight." Vlad could hear the man's heart pounding. He was getting excited. "And I only ask for one thing in return. A trivial thing."

"And what would that be?"

"You're humanity." The man did not respond. "You would no longer be human. You would be something much more. Much greater. A Chimera. A creature beyond human. Practically an all but unstoppable monster. However, you'd also be selling your soul to me. I... would... own... you." Vlad then knelt down to the man. "Will you do that? Will you sacrifice your humanity?" Vlad then got close to the man's ear, and whispered: "Will you sell your soul... to the Devil?" Vlad then stood up, and took a few steps away from the man.

The man was quiet for a bit. "If there ever was a god in this word, then he has failed me. He has taken so much from me, and gave me nothing in return." The man then looked at Vlad with his eyes. Vlad saw something that made him smile. He actually saw fire in the man's dead eyes. "What use do I have of something as worthless as humanity?"

Vlad smiled, pleased with the answer. "Very well." Vlad snapped his fingers, and the blood of the dead man near him destroyed the shackles of the old man. Vlad gently grabbed the old man's hand, and helped the frail man off the ground. He led the man out of his cell, being patient with the slow-moving, limping, brittle old man. "Jack, I have your challenge."

"Hm?" The doctor walked over to Vlad, and examined the old man. "So frail." Jack touched the man. "His flesh is paper thin." He grabbed his hand, and placed a finger on his wrist. "His pulse is weak." Jack walked back, and examined the man visually. "He looks like he'll drop dead at any second." The old man was getting worried. He thought this "doctor" was about to reject him. If only he could see the smile on his face. "A fine canvas indeed. I will make him into a work of art."

The old man felt relief, while Vlad smiled. "Now then, Vladdy, I need a few favors."

"Hm?"

"Could you forge an operation table for me?" Without hesitating, Vlad snapped his fingers. Jack looked towards the doorway when he heard a sound, and saw a stream of blood rush into the room, and form a table more then large enough to hold the old man. "Ooh, a work of art, Vladdy. Now, if only I had more light to operate." Jack then heard fingers snap again, and saw blood form above his table. He was surprised when he saw the blood actually glow. "You can illuminate your own blood?"

"You'd be surprised at what I can do with my powers."

"Ooh, you are an artist's best friend, Vladdy. Now, one more thing. I need some... material. I'm sure you sensed the above average shark swimming near us." Vlad didn't hesitate. One second, he was gone. The next, he was in the room, holding a now dead shark that was easily twice his size. It looked like a great white, but something was off about it. It's skin was darker, and it actually looked rougher. In fact, no shark recorded has ever been shown to be that big. It could have passed as a baby Sea King. "Perfect. Now, Tanny, I need a favor from you."

"You want me to get your record player and one of those records of yours, right?"

"Oh, you already know me so well."

Tanya was even faster than Vlad himself. It was like she retrieved it in the blink of an eye. "Here ya go."

"Aw. Lovely. Now then, Vladdy, the curtains?" Vlad snapped his fingers, and a veil of blood surrounded Jack and the old man.

Jack carefully placed the old man on the operating table. "Now then, I must inform you... that I do not use anesthetics, such as pain killers or knockout gas. You will feel everything. Every cut, every slice of the nerve, every tug of the muscle. You will experience excruciating pain. Pain so horrible and hellish, that you will beg me to take your life."

"I have felt that pain before doctor. I do not fear it. In fact, it's the only thing that let's me know that I am still alive in this horrid world. Please... let me feel pain."

Jack shivered... in pleasure. "Aaaah, what a glorious response. Ooooooooh, I do look forward to making you... even more magnificent." With that, Jack began the operation.

* * *

The illumination from Vlad's blood made silhouettes appear on the crimson curtain. The prisoners were shaking in fear as they watched the shadow move, taking scissors, knives, and some bizarre tools to "work" on the old man and the shark. It didn't help that they could hear the slicing and cutting of flesh, and the sound of water falling or dripping onto the floor. As the watched, they could have sworn that one of the silhouettes was actually getting bigger.

The only thing that distracted them was the sound of bones crunching, and flesh being ripped. The sound was coming from the right side of the room. When they looked, they saw a wolf... eating the poor prisoner that the man from before killed with a single punch. Many of them jumped in fear when the wolf looked back at them. They were terrified, but also mesmerized by the beauty of the wolf's eyes. The wolf stared at them for quite some time, before it licked it's lips, and proceeded to eating the corpse.

That's when they realized that the man who killed the wolf's meal and the woman was nowhere to be seen. They were wondering where he and the beauty went. Then, they heard an explosion.

* * *

The explosion was Vlad destroying the Navy battleship.

He and Tanya had moved all the supplies on that ship onto the galleon, claiming it as his crew's new ship. He saw no use for the battleship, so he destroyed it by detonating a few kegs of gun powder he left in key places of the ship.

Tanya had no idea how he did it, but she honestly didn't care. Her captain's powers were still too much of a mystery to her. The fact that he can illuminate his blood was proof of that. All that mattered to her was that her crew now had a new ship. Bigger, but with a greater prize on it than the previous one.

"He should be finished by now." Tanya looked up at her captain. "Let's go see his newest creation."

"Ai, captain."

* * *

The two then walked down towards the hull. When they reached it, they saw that Jack's shadow was completely still. "I take it you are finished?"

There was no immediate response, until the shadow began to quiver. "Ooh, yes. I am done. Vladdy, lower the curtains. Unveil my latest creation." Vlad snapped his fingers. When the curtain fell, he saw that Vlad's hands were covered in blood, and there was a huge body lying before him. "Vladdy, Tanny, Hoarffy, all you fortunate souls who get to bear witness to this; I give you... the first... human-made... Fishman." Jack stepped to the side, showing the full body of his creation.

The body was still at first, before it's hand twitched. Then, it slowly began to get off the table. Even when sitting, one could see that the new man was huge. When he finally stood, it was shown that he was tremendous in stature. He was taller than anyone in the room. His skin was as gray as the shark's, and had muscles as huge as a human head. The dorsal fin on his back looked as sharp as a blade, and his fangs looked sharper. After taking a few deep breathes, the Chimera finally opened his black eyes, and looked around. After looking around the room, he looked down at his hands, and flexed his fingers.

"Is this... me? . . . I... I can see."

"Well, it seems you can speak as well." The Chimera looked up Vlad, who walked up to the hulk of a man. "The last Chimera was pretty much devoid of will or personality."

"That's because he was an enemy, Vladdy. If I allowed him to retain his consciousness, then he would have used the power I gave him against us. However, this one pledged loyalty to us. As such, I allowed him to keep his will."

"Ah, I see. Well done, Jack."

"Ooh, you flatter me, captain."

"Now then..." Vlad looked up at the Chimera. "How do you feel?"

The man looked down at his new body. "Alive. After so long... I finally feel alive."

"I see. . . Would you like to test your new body?"

"What?"

"There is a Sea King beneath this ship. I would like you to slay it."

The Chimera was silent at first... before it bowed. "As you command... captain." With that, the Chimera ran off to fulfill it's order.

* * *

"Hm, he's pretty fast on land," Hoarfen said as he walked up, eating a heart.

"Well, let's see how he fairs in the water." Vlad snapped his fingers, and more of the blood from on deck and the curtain of blood formed before him and the crew. It took the shape of the Chimera, and watched as he dived. When he hit the water, more blood came, and made a bloody picture of what the Chimera could see.

"You're just full of surprises, Vlad. How are you doing this," Tanya asked.

"I placed a bit of my blood inside the Chimera. Not only can I now control him should he try to rebel, but with enough blood, I can truly see what he sees."

"Oooh, look at how fast he's going. He's like a true fishman. Ah, he already found the Sea King. An Eel-Type."

They watched as the Chimera swam towards the Sea King, and actually punched it in the face. The Sea King looked visually in pain.

Vlad smiled. "He actually held back."

Hoarfen laughed. "So he wants to piss of the Sea King to have a proper fight."

"At least we'll get a proper show," Tanya said.

"As well as some interesting data," Jack said as he took out a notebook, and already began to write in it.

They saw the Sea King glare at the Chimera with enraged eyes, and lunged at him with it's mouth wide open. It must have hoped to swallow him whole. It actually succeeded. However, it was a short lived victory.

In the next second, the Chimera actually punched out four of the beast's front teeth, and swam out in a blur. The Chimera saw around the Sea King, punching and kicking it with blinding speed, all hits holding a tremendous amount of power. Then, the Chimera swam down. When he stopped, he began to spin. He spun fast enough to look like a whirlpool, and sped towards the Sea King. He looked like a missile.

He struck the Sea King, and caused it to roar in pain so loudly, that Vlad and the others actually heard it. It even shook the ship itself. Then, the Chimera shot through the Sea King, killing it. He had won.

* * *

Knowing the Chimera would bring the Sea King to the surface, Vlad and his crew went up on deck to meet him. The first thing to pop up was the corpse of the Sea King. The Chimera jumped out of the sea, landed before Vlad and the Bloody Pirates, and actually bowed.

Vlad looked at the corpse of the Sea King. It was large enough to easily swallow the giant galleon whole, and yet the Chimera defeated it all by himself. "Impressive. Very well done."

"Thank you... Captain."

"Do you have a name? I would like to congratulate you properly."

"I had abandoned it."

"Oh?"

"That name would be a reminder of my pathetic humanity. I have been reborn by the hands of the Great Dr. Jack."

"Great Doctor," Jack asked with a slight giggle. "My, my. You flatter me. As such, I shall rename you. As my creation, you will now go by the name of. . . Hm. . . Ah! Megalo."

"Megalo, sir?"

"Short... for Megalodon. I believe it was the shark I used to turn you into the work of art you are now. The Megalodon was thought to be extinct, but during it's heyday, it was considered to be the most powerful creature in the seas. Even Sea Kings feared it."

"And why do you think you used a Megalodon," Vlad asked his doctor.

"The muscle of the shark was too soft, as if it was still developing. The shark you brought me should have been full grown, yet it's muscle mass... wasn't even that of an adolescent shark. It was that of a new born."

"Oh. How interesting. Does that mean Megalo here might actually grow stronger?" The Chimera's eyes widened at the words of Vlad.

"That may be possible. Either way, I created an exquisite piece of art. I look forward to his great progress." The Chimera felt a rush of pride at the doctor's words.

"As I look forward to you making more of these Chimera's, Jack. You have a few hundred more tries before you run out of materials."

"Oh, Vladdy! Are you giving me the cargo," Jack yelled with sparkles in his eyes.

"You will find the most use for them."

"HEY! WHAT ABOUT MY MEALS?!"

"Oh, hush now, Hoarffy. Not all of those canvases will be worth working on. I'll give you the... undesirables."

"I'll hold you to that."

"Though, I will still need some other material. More creatures of the earth and sky. Lovely Megalo will supply me with the material's of the sea, of course."

Vlad walked over to the rails, and looked down at the still floating Sea King. "You have a giant eel right here."

Jack gasped in shock. "Vladdy! How uncouth! To suggest that I... recreate. No, love. All of my pieces must be unique. Just as there can never be another Megalo, there can never be another Hawk. As such, there must never be another Eel. I will never recreate a previous success. I only try to perfect failure. Succession must never be tampered with, nor duplicated. Or else, it will no longer be unique. It will no longer be art."

"I see. Well, at least we have some meat for a good long while. This Sea King is more than large enough to feed us and the cargo for a few months."

"You would feed the slaves," Tanya asked, genuinely surprised.

"They are no good to use dead. And if they grow too weak, Jack's surgeries would kill them before they were even a quarter complete."

"Oh, I love how you understand my art so well, Vladdy."

"So, I'm sorry to ask, Tanya, but could you also cook some food for the slaves? They are precious material, as well as possible soldiers."

Tanya laughed a bit. "Please. Cooking for you, me, Jack, and a few Chimeras and slaves? Piece of cake. At least give me something difficult to do, once in a while."

"Thank you. Now then, we now have a new ship, and some possible new members of our crew. Next order of business, to find an island to make our Paradise base. Preferably one with a wide variety of animals for Jack."

"Ooh, you're too kind, Vladdy."

"Fortunately, I believe I found just the right island. Hard to starboard. It's time to see our new home in Paradise."

"Sir!"

* * *

 **Omake:**

A flock of birds was flying peacefully over the sky, not a care in the world. However, in a split second, the entire flock was struck by bullet fast knives. They all fell onto a ship.

Jack walked up to the flock, pleased with his catch. "Nice. Very nice. More than enough for a new work of art. Hm, actually, it seems I only have enough to make a... _young_ piece of work." Jack grabbed the entire flock by their necks, and walked towards the stairs leading to the lower hull.

The older prisoners jumped in fear when they heard the door open. Many of them were more terrified when they saw who it was. They were all afraid of the pirates, but the two they were most terrified of were Hoarfen and Jack.

Vlad seemed merciful, and Tanya would always bring them delicious food. However, Hoarfen would always come to eat at least one of them, and his choice was always random. Jack was even more terrifying, since he would always come and turn one of them into a monster. He has already turned ten into one of those things... and killed about thirty others with that vile surgery.

They saw that he was holding some birds in his hands, and knew that someone would be turned into a monster. Many of the adults blood ran cold... when they saw Jack walk up to a cage full of children.

"Oh, dearies, Uncle Jack is back!"

"Uncle Jack!"

The children ran excitedly up to the bars. The Bloody Pirates had tricked them into thinking they were... somewhat good people.

The kids took a liking to, ironically, Vlad first. They saw him as a cool, handsome, strong man. Many of them called him Papa Vlad. It also helped that Vlad actually took them out of the cage to see the outside world every few days. He did it to actually let them spread their arms and legs and get a healthy amount of sun... so they could grow more naturally and be more likely to survive Jack's surgery. He also taught them a few exercises and stretches. They thought it was all in good fun, when in actuality, they were exercises used to help strengthen and toughen the body. He was preparing them for their inevitable surgery.

The next person they took a liking to was Tanya, for obvious reasons. She was always the one who brought them food. They also loved looking at her. She was so pretty. They also felt calm around her. It didn't take long for them to call her Mama Tanya. The first time they called her that, she giggled, which made them all happy.

Oddly enough, Hoarfen was the next person they grew to like. And all Hoarfen did was nap in their cage while in his wolf form. One child was even brave enough, or drowsy enough, to actually try and sleep on the large wolf. When the child laid his head on Hoarfen, the wolf looked at the child, licked his lips, and just lazy went back to sleep. His warm, soft fur and beautiful wolf form made him popular among the kids.

Jack was the last one they grew to like, but only because he interacted with them the least. One day, he walked up to them, and asked them a simple question:

"Do any of you want to be like Mama Tanny or Uncle Hoarffy?"

The thought of being anything like those two got the kids excited. Though the first two kids were never seen again, the next one happily showed the others... that he was a wolf like Uncle Hoarfen, now. Then, the next child happily showed that she was like Mama Tanya. Now, the kids wait excitedly for the day Uncle Jack makes them into the next puppy or kitten.

"Can I be like Mama Tanya?!"

"I wanna be like Uncle Hoarfen!"

"Can I be like Papa Vlad?"

Jack chuckled. "Apologies, my lovelies, but there will be no puppies or kittens today."

"Aw," the kids all said in unison.

"Instead... do any of you want to fly?" The kids looked interested. "Do any of you want to have wings?"

"I do," a little girl said as she raised her hand.

"Splendid." Jack opened the cage, and took the little girl's hand. "Come now, my child. I will make you like a siren."

"Siren?"

"A gorgeous bird with the most enchanting voice. You're lovely voice might even put a smile on Vladdy. He could most certainly gain from smiling a bit more."

The girl blushed. "I could make Papa Vlad smile?"

The girl thought of it. Vlad almost never smiled. He usually had a stoic and serious expression. However, the girl once saw him smile once. She doesn't remember why he smiled, but she does remember that it was the loveliest thing she has ever seen. The thought of making such a powerful man smile made her happy.

Jack led the girl into his Operating Room. It was one of the many empty rooms that was renovated just for Jack and his surgeries. It had all of Jack's tools, some leftover materials, a few books, Jack's record player, and a crimson operating table that Vlad himself made.

Jack placed the girl onto the table. "Ah, I almost forgot about the embarrassing bit."

The girl blushed. "Do I really have to take off all of my clothes, Uncle Jack?"

"I'm afraid so, love. Down to your adorable little panties."

The girl blushed, and took off all of her clothes. Looking like she did the day she entered this world, she positioned herself onto the table, ready for Uncle Jack to give her wings.

"Now then, love, I must warn you, this will hurt."

"More than your shots?"

"Oh, much more." The girl's eyes began to tear up. "Don't fret, deary. You'll get used to the pain. If you allow your body to truly relax, you might even fall asleep. I'll be done before you know it. Just think of your most beloved memory, and the pain will be gone before you even realize it."

The girl looked at Jack, before looking up at the ceiling. She tried to think of her happiest memory, and thought of Vlad's smile. She also thought of the time she spent with him. His exercises, the fact he allowed her into his room to read some of his books, and of course, the day he saved her.

It was when her group got permission to walk the deck. She was leaning on the rails when she saw a bird. Without realizing it, she actually tried reaching for it. Because of this, she fell off the large ship. When she saw the waters of the ocean, she shut her eyes, waiting for the splash.

When she didn't feel anything, she opened her eyes to see she was above the water, and heard the sound of wings flapping. She looked to see that she was in Papa Vlad's arms, who was flying with beautiful crimson wings.

"Another work of art has been created."

When the girl heard that, she opened her eyes. She didn't realize it, but she had fallen asleep. When she opened her eyes, she saw that she now had talons on her feet. Actually, she had bird legs. She looked at her arms to see that she had feathers on her arms. Pure white feathers that seemed to shine in the light of Uncle Jack's room.

"Now, let's get you dressed, my lovely." The girl looked to see Uncle Jack put a shirt over her head. When her head popped through, she saw him grab a pair of shorts, and helped her into them. "Now, come take a look." Jack led her to a full body mirror.

The girl's eyes widened. "Is that... really me?" She was still as cute as she was before. The only thing really different about her was her new wings and legs. That, and the fact that her formerly black hair was now as white as her feathers. She couldn't help but blush at the sight.

"Indeed. Now, let's test your new wings." Jack took the girl onto the deck. "Now, try to fly."

"Eh?"

"Just flap your wings. Soar through the sky like the bird you are."

The girl looked at Jack for a bit, before she walked up to the rails. She jumped onto them and started to flap. She flapped her wings a few times... then willingly fell off the ship, eyes closed. She felt the rush of the wind through her feathers, then felt like she was being lifted. She felt like she was flying. She expected to see that Papa Vlad had saved her again. When she opened her eyes, she saw she was wrong. Instead, she was flying on her own.

She couldn't believe it. She was flying through the sky like Papa Vlad, or Mr. Hawkie. As she flew, she actually flew past the aforementioned Chimera. When she did, the hawk man screeched, but it sounded like it was in approval. Then, the hawk did a few maneuvers in the sky. Inspired, the girl tried to copy him, and succeeded. She actually followed the bird, and imitated him.

During her flight with the hawk man, she saw Mr. Megalo swimming in the ocean, carrying four large sharks. More than enough meat for dinner.

She was enjoying herself so much. She actually sang a bit. Her voice sounded angelic. Her voice really was as enchanting as a the legendary siren.

After flying around a bit, she finally landed before Jack, who had a pleased look on his face. However, someone else was beside him. The girl blushed when she saw that it was none other than Papa Vlad himself.

He looked so serious as usual, eyes stern, and arms crossed. The girl shook a bit when she saw him reach out. She shut her eyes, waiting for whatever punishment he was planning to give. However, what she felt instead was pleasant.

Vlad was rubbing her head. She looked up, and felt bliss... when she saw Vlad's extremely rare smile. "Very well done, child." With that, Vlad walked away, leaving a blushing siren.

The next thing she knew, she was being hugged by Uncle Jack. "Ooh, by beautiful Siren! You've made Vladdy smile! You're another success! Oh, what joy! What joy!"

The girl, now renamed Siren, couldn't stop blushing. She didn't know if it was because Papa Vlad praised her, because Papa Vlad smiled, or because of how proud Uncle Jack was. She was just happy... that she was now a Chimera.

 **A/N: Phew. This was a doozy. Like most of my chapters, this took way longer than I had originally planned. Well, I better give credit where credit is due. Most of this chapter was inspired by ch 30 of Nine Minutes by serpentguy. Read it. It's arguably one of the best One Piece fan fics the site has to offer. Actually, it might be a good challenge: see how many similarities there are between this chapter and The Raid (the name of chapter 30). I have no idea how many there are, but I'm sure someone will tell me in a review or something. Hope you enjoyed this and his chapter. Oh, and fair warning: Nine Minutes is addictive. What's worse, it's practically discontinued. Hasn't been updated in nearly two years. It will be two years exactly on October 13, which is Friday, which is also the day The Evil Within 2 comes out. Am I the only one looking forward to that? Well, I should try to beat Akumu mode before it comes out. I'm on Ch 13 right now. Yay! That trophy is mine!**


	5. Chapter 5

Days have passed since Megalo, Siren, and the other Chimera's creations. Jack had achieved many grand successes, but many more failures. The "cargo" had dwindled dramatically. The hold looked practically empty. However, on the deck of the ship, many powerful Chimera's were tending to the ship.

A pod of Sea Chimeras, led by Megalo himself, were hunting in the waters around them. They were either hunting for a meal for Tanya and some of the other Chimeras under her command to cook, or a new breed of sea creature that Jack has yet to make into a Chimera.

Hawkman was leading a flock of Sky Chimeras. He was given the same objective as Megalo, with the added responsibility of surveillance. The Sky Chimeras were flying beautifully, before Hawkman screeched, which made them all disperse in an almost artistic fashion. They all came back into the flock a few minutes later, all carrying different types of birds in their beaks. Oddly enough, most of the birds they had were the kinds they were turned into.

Siren was in Vlad's room, serenading the captain with her beautiful voice. However, she eventually got tired, and actually lulled herself to sleep. When Vlad noticed the lack of music, and looked to see the artificial Siren sleeping, he couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

Tanya was in the kitchen, cooking with the Feline Chimeras, while Hoarfen was training the Canine Chimeras... while also dealing with the Puppy Chimeras.

A few days ago, the Bloody Pirates ran across two different trading ships. One was filled to the brim with every kind of canine the world had to offer, including wolves; while the other had every type of feline, from small domestic to large predator. After slaughtering the traders, the Bloody Pirates took each and every animal. It took him a while, and cost the lives of many slaves, but Jack was able to create every type of Canine and Feline Chimera; while still saving at least a tenth of the original prisoners alive. True, he killed more humans and animals than he created Chimeras... but no one in the Bloody Pirates really gave a shit.

All that mattered was that the Bloody Pirate's Chimera army got that much stronger... and the fact that Jack needs some more test subjects. Nothing a few slave ship raids couldn't fix.

Oddly enough, many of the Chimeras enjoyed their new bodies. Most of them were allowed to keep their minds and personalities after being convinced by Jack's silver tongue, and they now practically worship him for giving them power they couldn't even imagine. True, there were still some slaves who were strongly opposed to being made into literal monsters, but lobotomy fixed that problem.

Besides, after seeing the strength and power of the Chimeras, many of the slaves begged to be the next Chimera. The children were the first to be turned, since Vlad thought they would grow even more powerful than they are now if turned at a young age. Seeing the power of the children, many of the adults either went mad for power, or went insane from fear. The ones who wanted power were useful. The ones laced with fear... were fed to Hoarfen... and the Canine Chimeras.

The Canines were at first averse and disgusted at the thought of eating other humans, but after Hoarfen finally convinced them to eat it, they became addicted. They still like to eat regular food, but cannibalism is their preferred meal.

Tanya was opposed to this, and instead taught the Feline Chimeras basic cooking techniques. Many of them were naturals, and were very skilled chefs. Tanya hardly does any cooking anymore. She mostly oversees them, just in case any of them still plan on poisoning the crew's food. She caught one Chimera trying to do that once, and slashed him to ribbons... in front of everyone. She made it worse by having them watch Hoarfen and his Chimeras happily eating the tattered remains of the corpse.

The Bloody Pirates were truly feared... and even respected by their Chimera army.

Many days had passed since Siren's creation, since the creation of many of the Chimeras. They had been sailing towards an island that Vlad thought would be ideal for the Paradise Base. However, many of the crew members, including Vlad himself, were getting anxious and impatient. Then, it finally happened.

The German Shepherd Chimera, located on the Crow's Nest, began to howl. It was the signal for land being spotted.

Everyone stopped what they were doing. Vlad looked up from his maps, his crimson eyes starting to glow. Little Siren began to stir, and noticed her captain leaving the room, and followed him. Tanya and her Feline Chimera's stopped their cooking, their claws prime. Hoarfen and his Canine Chimera's ran to the bow, their fangs present in their feral smiles.

Even Jack, who was in his crudely made lab, looked up. He put down his pen, and carefully closed his book. He walked away from the table, leaving behind his book. It was a book filled with ideas for a future project. It even had a title:

 **Project Homunculus**

* * *

Everyone was now on deck, staring at the islands.

"An archipelago, huh," Hoarfen observed.

"Yes. I thought it would be best to have multiple large islands than just one. Obviously, the largest one will be the main base. Hoarfen, you sense the one with the most life, correct?"

"Yeah."

"That one belongs to you and your Chimeras."

"Ooh, nice."

"Tanya, you will have the one with the most variety of ingredients."

"I can live with that."

"Jack, you'll have the one with the most... material."

"Ooh, lovely."

"Megalo, you and the Sea Chimeras scour the waters of the islands. If you find anything useful, report it to me, Hoarfen, Tanya, or Jack."

"Sir," Megalo said with a salute.

"After you're done doing that, the waters are yours and the Sea Chimeras to do with as you please."

Megalo bowed. "Thank you, Captain." With that, Megalo jumped into the waters, followed by the rest of the Sea Chimeras.

"No hesitation. Good. Now then, Hawkman, you and the other Sky Chimeras are to analyze the island from the skies. Alert anything strange you see from the main island to any of the islands surrounding it, except for that one." Everyone looked towards where Vlad was pointing.

"Hm? What makes that island so special," Hoarfen asked.

"I'm going to explore that island personally."

"You, Vladdy?" Jack looked towards that particular island, and began to concentrate. "Ah, this spirit. Could it be?"

"It's what I'm going to find out."

"You sensed him the moment we arrived, didn't you," Jack asked.

"I did."

Wondering what their captain and doctor were talking about, Hoarfen and Tanya began to concentrate.

Hoarfen whistled. "There's someone pretty powerful over there."

"A Level Six inmate," Tanya asked.

"Indeed. Someone I'm actually personally acquainted with."

"He was once a cellmate of mine and Vladdy's."

"Oh, so you know this guy," Hoarfen said with his arms crossed.

"Will he be a problem, Vlad," Tanya asked.

"It's what I'm about to find out. Now, it's time for us to fulfill our duties. Dismissed!" With that, the ship was completely empty in a flash.

* * *

Vlad landed on the island where he sensed the powerful presence. He didn't see anyone yet, so he explored the island. As he walked, the aura was growing larger and stronger. Then, he reached the other side of the island. What he saw was magnificent.

A ship, just a tad smaller than the one he stole, but far more artistic. The sails were not to large or too small. Just right to make the ship sail at the perfect speed for it's size. Vlad saw that there were cannons on both the sides, and even the hull of the ship. The hull had a special type of cannon. One that had three barrels. They were obviously able to rotate. The wood looked powerful, and seemed to almost glow in the sunlight. Vlad walked up, touched it, and felt that it was the rare Adam Wood. He has only felt this wood once. When he was on Roger's ship. It was a magnificent vessel. And that was only the outside. He could only imagine how grand it looked within.

"You're skills are even greater than you how you described, Phemus."

"Glad to see you approve, Vlad."

Vlad looked behind him, and smiled. "You've barely aged, old friend."

A man who looked to be nearing his fifties walked out of the shadows, his muscular arms crossed. He was a powerful looking man, his body practically made of muscle. He had strong, sharp, black eyes that looked to be able to pierce steel. His hair was wild and wavy, but looked to be receding. He had an impressive beard that actually reached his chest. He looked like a man out of Greek Mythology itself.

"Hmph, and you seem to have gotten younger. It seems Jack was not lying to me after all."

"Has Jack ever lied, Phem?"

The man sighed. "Not yet, I suppose." Vlad chuckled. "So, what brings you here?"

"Ah. Well, after I escaped, I somehow created a crew. I'm rebuilding the Bloody Pirates, it seems. Jack is my doctor. I also have two other Level Six inmates. They're quite powerful."

"I see. That still doesn't answer my question."

"Well, I thought it would be necessary to have a base of operations in Paradise before entering the New World. This archipelago just so happened to be what I was looking for. I never imagined it would have such an exquisite bonus."

"Bonus?"

Vlad chuckled. "We both know what I mean, Paul."

"You want me to join your crew?"

"Why not? A good crew always needs a talented shipwright. You fit that mold perfectly. Besides, your inventions and creations would also be a great asset. You are a legendary blacksmith, right?"

"Once upon a time. Still, I'm afraid I will have to decline."

"Oh?"

"I'm done with the pirate life. I plan on enjoying as much freedom as I have."

"Really? You have no ambitions?"

"None to speak of."

"Not even to get revenge against them?"

"Hm?" Paul looked see what Vlad meant, and saw a Marine Battleship in the distance, heading towards the island.

"I know you hate losing, Paul. I could hear the absolute hatred and fury in your voice whenever you would tell me about how you were sent into Impel Down in the first place. You may have killed your old crew mates, but the ones who captured you are still alive, right?"

Paul didn't answer, but Vlad could see the rage in his eyes and saw him tightening his grip. "Hmph. It doesn't matter." Paul began to walk away. "Those fools don't even want to capture us, remember? They would rather retain their unblemished reputation by letting us roam freely rather than let the world know of our escape. I'm going to enjoy my freedom as long as I c-"

Paul stopped abruptly, and Vlad knew why. He looked towards the battleship, closing in on them. "Now there's a presence I haven't felt in a long time. I never expected to see John Giant, of all people."

"Vlad."

"Hm?"

Vlad looked to see Paul, his face shadowed, but a powerful aura surrounding him. "You can have the subordinates." Paul then lifted his face. It was still shadowed, but a large, glowing red eye appeared...in the center of his face. "But Giant is mine."

Vlad looked at his old cellmate... and smiled. "Deal."

* * *

"Vice Admiral John, we're nearing the island!"

"Be prepared, men! We don't know who's ship that is. It doesn't look like a civilian vessel, and most certainly isn't in any of the Navy's records."

"A pirate ship, Vice Admiral?"

"More than likely." The marines then landed on the island. "Inspect the ship."

"Sir!" The men were about to board the ship. However, before they could reach the boarding plank, they were crushed by a boulder that was flung towards them. It crushed them upon landing, a bloody puddle forming around the stone.

"What?!"

"Where did that come from?!"

"Stay away from my ship."

The marines looked towards the voice. They all saw a very muscular man, but John Giant saw something that made his eyes widen in shock. "No. Not you. Why did it have to be you?"

"Sir, who is that?" The marine looked up towards the Vice Admiral, and saw something surprising.

John Giant looked afraid.

"That man... is The Blacksmith Cyclops, Paul 'Paulie' Phemus."

The marines were shocked. "B-But that's impossible!"

"The reports stats that you and the other giant Vice Admirals killed Phemus!"

John gripped his palm. "We... had no choice but to make a false report. It was an order from Sengoku himself. We couldn't kill Phemus. He was too powerful. All we could do was subdue him. . . . And we even bribed his crew to help." The marines were shocked.

"And that cost them their lives." The marines looked at Paul. "I crushed them like the treacherous cockroaches they were." The marines were horrified by that fact. Paul then glared at John. "Now that they're dead, I suppose I need to finish what I started, and kill you and the other eight giants that defeated me."

The marines gasped. "He took on all eight members of the Giant Squad?!"

"That's impossible!"

"Vice Admiral John was apparently with them! One man fought nine giants?!"

"What is this guy?!"

"Men!" They all looked at John. "Commandeer Phemus's ship! He must not leave this island! At the very least, one of you needs to head back to HQ, and receive permission to issue a Buster Call!"

The last part of the order alone let the men know just how dangerous Paulie Phemus really was. "Sir!" Some of the men ran as fast as they could to the ship. They had just about reached the boarding plank.

Then, they were impaled.

John and the surviving men looked at the sight in shock. At first, the marines thought Phemus had made a trap. Considering his reputation as the Blacksmith Cyclops, it was easy to assume that. However, John was able to see that the spikes were crimson in color.

"Too bad." The men looked up, and John turned white. "But marines have no permission to board this ship."

"Who is that?"

"A boy?!"

"He looks to be in his late twenties."

"Is he a new recruit of Paulie's?"

"No. Why? Why did it have to be you?" The marines looked at John, and saw that he looked even angrier... and even more terrified than when he saw Paulie. "WHY ARE YOU FREE, VLADIMIR TEPES?!"

"The Vice Admiral knows him?"

"He sounds so... scared."

"Is he a criminal?"

Vlad chuckled. "What kind of greeting is that, John? We haven't seen each other in, what, fifty-four years? You haven't changed at all in that time. The same giant Vice Admiral that was only a tiny bit of fun to fight. I wonder... are you still afraid of me... **boy**?"

"Is this guy insane?"

"Fifty-four? He doesn't look nearly that old."

"Isn't the Vice Admiral over a hundred years old?"

"Where does this guy get the nerve of calling him a boy?"

"Men, I want you all to retreat immediately!" The marines were shocked by that order. "These men are far too powerful! We can't handle them! Full retreat!"

The marines were hesitant at first, but they respected John too much to disobey him. "Sir, yes, sir!" They then tried to run away.

However, a wall of blood as tall as John himself appeared before them.

"As if I would let you lot run away that easily." The marines looked at Vlad, resting his head on the palm of his hand, a nonchalant smile on his neutral face.

"Vlad."

"Hm?"

"Remember our deal," Phemus said, his face shadowed.

"You deal with John Giant in any way you see fit, while I handle his subordinates. I haven't forgotten. I just didn't want them to escape. Giant's all yours."

"Good." Paul then looked up... showing a single large eye on his face. "Glad you honor your agreements." Then, Paul started to grow. He kept growing larger and larger, until he was as tall as John himself.

At least, that's what the marines thought at first.

When Paul walked closer, the marines made a shocking discovery. Paul was actually taller than John.

The giant cyclops smashed a fist onto his palm, making a loud clap that sounded like thunder. "Well then, John, let's have a rematch after thirty years."

John glared at the cyclops, and took out his sword. "You're unarmed, Phemus."

"Hmph. I don't need my hammer to beat you into a bloody pulp." John gritted his teeth, and charged at Paulie with a roar. He swung his sword, ready to slice Paulie right down the middle. However, Paulie easily caught the blade with his bare hand... and his hand wasn't even black with concentrated haki.

"See?" With that, he crushed John's sword to pieces.

While the Vice Admiral stared at the sight, dumbfounded, Paulie planted a precise uppercut that sent John flying all the way to the bloody wall, nearly crushing some of his men.

"Vice Admiral!"

"Men, help the vice admiral!" John heard his men say that, and struggled to get up in order to persuade them from doing something that would surely get them killed.

"Not happening." John felt horror when he heard _his_ voice. He looked up in time... to see his men sliced into pieces. In the middle of it was Vlad, holding the blood covered hand that killed his men in an instant. "This is a fight between giants. We humans aren't allowed to interfere."

John's eyes were laced with horror, before he was filled with rage. He smashed his hand onto the ground, making the sand fly everywhere, and gaining Vlad's attention. He struggled a bit, but was able to get back on his feet, and looked down at Vlad with absolute hatred. "You're no human. You... ARE A DEVIL!"

Vlad stared at John for a bit, blinked twice, then began to chuckle. "You're right. I am."

John's eyes grew even larger with rage. "DAMN YOU, TEPES!" John raised a foot, ready to squish Vlad like a bug.

Even with the giant foot falling towards him like a meteor, Vlad didn't move. He didn't even look like he was about to defend himself. He just stood there with a smile. When the sole of John's shoe was mere inches away from Vlad's face, it stopped.

"You're fight is with me, Giant."

John looked to see that Paul was holding his knee with only one hand. Paul pushed John's knee away, making the Giant lose his balance. As he was stumbling, Paul kicked John right in his stomach, and sent him crashing into Vlad's Blood Wall. John smashed into the wall with such force, that he actually broke through it.

Vlad's eyes were wide with surprise. He even whistled in amazement. "Damn. You weren't kidding about your strength, Paulie."

"Of course, I wasn't."

John struggled to get back up, coughing a bit. He stood up, panting, and got into what looked like boxing stance.

"Hmph. So you can fight alone after all. Good. It will make crushing you all the more satisfying if you struggle," Paul said as he walked closer to John.

John gritted his teeth and glared at Paul with absolute resolve. With a roar, he charged at the larger cyclops, fist at the ready. He aimed to punch Paul right in the eye, but Paul simply tilted his head, and countered by punching John in the stomach hard enough to cause waves in the ocean.

John vomited saliva and fell to his knees. When he did, Paul kneed him right in the face. A crack was heard, and blood was dripping down John's nose. Paul had broken it.

John was now flat on his back, nose bloody, his stomach in excruciating pain, breathing labored, and his body not listening to him at all. He wanted to stand up to Paul so badly, but he felt like he couldn't even twitch his pinky. He just stared up at the sky, beaten... defeated.

Paul towered over John, glaring at him with a single, glowing, blood red eye. He reached over towards John, grabbed the giant's neck, and easily lifted him off the ground. It was an awesome sight, seeing one giant hold another by his neck, his feet dangling in the air.

"It would be so easy for me to kill you." Vlad noticed how Paul was flexing his free hand, looking ready to rip John's heart out. However, his hand started to relax. "But that would be a trivial waste." Paul brought John closer to his face. "I want you to deliver a message to the rest of your giant comrades. 'Phemus is back, and ready for revenge. Come and find me.' Memorize that message exactly, Giant. I want some giant blood on my hands." With that, Paul threw John towards his ship.

Vlad walked up next to Paul as he watched John soar through the air towards his massive battleship. He was pretty impressed when he saw that the ship was able to withstand John's landing. Though, it made one hell of a splash.

Vlad looked to watch Paul revert back into his human form. "So, what now?"

"Now, I wait."

"Are you sure? It's probably going to be a while."

"What are you talking about? This island is only a few days away from Navy Headquarters itself."

"Hm, you don't get the paper on this island, do you?"

"What? Of course I don't. A News Coo wouldn't fly towards a practically uninhabited island. Why?" Vlad took out a rolled up news paper and handed it to Paul. He took the paper and read the first article. His brow furrowed. "Navy Headquarters... has been moved to the New World... by order of Fleet Admiral Akainu."

"It's going to take quite a bit of time for John to reach the new HQ, let alone for you to get your revenge."

Paul stared at the paper before crumpling it up. "I don't care. I have time. I can wait."

"And why would you do that?"

"Hm?"

"Join me, Paul."

"Huh?"

"I plan on going to the New World soon. Once over there, the chances of you finding the Giant Squad increase exponentially. I could use a guy like you if I'm going over there. Besides, you're feeling a bit rusty, right?" Paul didn't respond immediately. "I'm a bit of a trouble magnet. You'll get plenty of opportunities to get back into shape when around me. Besides, you don't have your famous hammer. Either of them. Since it's you, you would have made both of them by now. I think it's obvious to both of us that you won't be able to make your hammers with the materials on this island."

Paul remained silent.

Vlad sighed. "Still not convinced, huh? Well, how about this? It's obvious that the Giant Squads will have platoons of soldiers with them when they inevitably come after you. Let's do what we did today. The rest of the crew and I will handle those idiots, while you spend all of your precious time and energy getting your much deserved revenge on the Giant Squad. Sounds like a good deal, right?"

Paul still remained silent.

"Come on, Paul. Look at your ship." The two men looked towards Paul's creation. "Such a magnificent creation. If you really just do nothing but wait on this island, this glorious work of art would be nothing more than a decoration. Don't you think that would be a waste?"

Paul stared at his creation, silent. A few moments passed. "They're mine."

"Pardon?"

"The giants. You're not allowed to touch them. I will be the one to kill them. You and your crew can deal with their men, but the giants themselves are mine to end. Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah. I got it. Ah, but Jack will obviously want their bodies."

"He can have them. I just want to take their lives. What happens to their corpses is of no concern to me."

"Hah! You just made Jack one happy madman!"

* * *

Hoarfen had just finished scouring the island he was on with his Chimeras. They killed quite a few livestock, and even a few previously unknown inhabitants. Ironically, they were a cannibal tribe, but they had no idea what they were up against... or how horrifying a truly unstoppable cannibal was.

When they saw Hoarfen walk out of the forest, they just thought he was another potential meal. A delicious one at that. His visible muscles made them think he would make a fine feast. As many of them prepared their weapons, which where nothing more than long sticks sharpened to spear point and some bows and arrows, they didn't notice Hoarfen's smile.

As the warriors of the tribe charged at Hoarfen, he released an ear-splitting howl, which terrified many of the villagers. Then, he frightened them even more when he entered his hybrid form. Their fear escalated when more creatures that looked like Hoarfen, ran out of the forest, and attacked their warriors.

The villagers watched in horror as the Chimeras tore their warriors to shreds as easily as a burning knife cutting through butter. The villagers couldn't believe the one-sided slaughter they were seeing. Though the warriors were able to land a few hits on the monsters, they were mostly lucky hits. The Chimera would rip the poor bastard to shreds in retaliation.

The archers weren't any luckier. The monsters were too fast. They couldn't properly aim, let alone hit them. But the Chimeras never missed. Their claws and fangs always reached their marks. The bows were slashed to splinters, while the necks of the archers were chewed to shreds.

After witnessing the brutality of Hoarfen and the Canine Chimeras, the villagers tried to run for their lives. However, Hoarfen wasn't about to let that happen. Using his powers, he turned the trees surrounding the village into walls of ice, with the only way out blocked by the Chimeras.

Hoarfen slowly and menacingly walked towards the remaining elders, women, children, and even men of the cannibal tribe. They were all absolutely terrified of the man. They have actually killed an eaten many men who looked like him, though most of them were either wearing suits or marine uniforms. They couldn't believe there was someone as vicious, powerful, and deadly as Hoarfen and his monsters.

When he got close enough, Hoarfen grabbed one of the children by their throats, and lifted the boy to eye level. The boy tried to bite Hoarfen's hand, but was shocked that he couldn't even break the skin. He had once eaten a man three times Hoarfen's size, and he was all muscle with leather tough skin.

Hoarfen let out a humorless laugh while looking at the boy with a sadistic smile. The villagers all sensed death. Hoarfen then decapitated the boy... by eating his neck. After dropping the body, he stared at the shocked look of the boy's head. Then, he ate the face.

After witnessing this, the villagers didn't just surrender... they bowed. No, they groveled before Hoarfen and his Canine Chimeras. The villagers didn't know if they were groveling before the gods of death that they have worshiped for so long, or the demons of the underworld that they have feared for centuries.

It did not matter.

All that did matter was that Hoarfen and his Chimeras were satisfied with their meals. At the beginning, there was more than one hundred villagers. Now, there was less than fifty, and that was a generous estimate. None of the remaining villagers would be eaten. Instead, Hoarfen decided to bring them back to Jack as a gift, along with their animals. There were cows, pigs, sheep, and horses.

Fortunately for Jack, and unfortunately for the tribe, Jack had failed in creating chimeras from these particular creatures. One of the many ships the crew raided had these animals on board, and Jack had tried but ultimately failed to combine the animals with humans. It nearly cost him the remaining slaves on the stolen ship of the privateers. Now, Jack's materials has been restocked, thanks to Hoarfen. The only thing that made it better was the fact that all of the horses were of different breeds, as well as different coat patterns.

* * *

"Yo, Jack! Got something for ya," Hoarfen yelled as he walked onto the main island from his ice path on the ocean surface.

Jack appeared in the blink of an eye. "Ah! Hoarffy! Are all of these precious things a gift for moi? I didn't think you cared for me so much."

"Eh, what can I say? I like the crazy shit you make. Oh, but be careful, they bite."

"Oh?" Jack walked up to one of the children. A boy thought he was weak from his thin body alone. Since he was skinnier than Hoarfen, the boy thought Jack would be an easy opponent compared to the death god. However, as soon as the boy saw Jack's soulless eyes, he quickly realized that the man before him was every bit as much a death god as the one who slaughtered his village.

In the blink of an eye, Jack grabbed the boy's jaw, shocking the child with his incredible speed. The boy was shocked once more when he felt Jack's monstrous strength, which the good doctor used to force open the boy's jaw.

"Strong jaw for a child." Jack then took out a tiny hammer, and lightly tapped the boy's teeth. "Oh, these are strong enough to bite through a human femur. Interesting. And this is a mere boy. The child looks no older than nine." Jack roughly released the boy's jaw, making him fall into the arms of a female villager, who greatly resembled the boy. Must have been his mother. The two looked at Jack's shadowed face with absolute terror, believing they were in the presence of another dark god.

Then, glowing white orbs and a crescent moon smile appeared on Jack's shadowed face. "He will make a fine Chimera. Hoarffy, are there any calves in your herd? Piglets, maybe?"

"Hm? Sure. Plenty. See?" Hoarfen pointed at the herd. There were actually more calves than full grown animals.

Something Jack liked, since there were more children than adults. He clapped his hands together. "Splendid! Oh, Panthy!"

"Panthy?" Hoarfen then saw something that pissed him off walk out of the forest. "Another Feline Chimera."

"Indeed. A Black Panther Chimera. There were quite a few panthers in the forest, but it took me some time to properly create the Chimera. In fact, I exhausted the supply of slaves. That Chimera is the body of the last man on the ship. No children, women, or elders are left on that ship. As such, I am truly grateful that you brought me these materials. Panthy, carry as many of the subjects as you can into the forest. Hoarffy's Canine Chimeras will carry the rest."

The Panther nodded, and followed the order. He filled both of his arms with both women and children. Given his large stature, he was able to carry ten in all. Though they tried to bite and claw their way out of his grip, it was utterly useless. He was too strong, and his fur was too thick. He disappeared into the forest, the tribesmen still struggling.

"Hm, obedient sucker. Had to lobotomize him?"

"I'm afraid so. That man was the most strong-willed of all the slaves, so he gave me the most trouble. Nothing a bit of brain surgery couldn't fix. Now then, my lovely canines, bring the rest of the subjects into the forest. I have quite a bit of work to do before Vladdy comes back."

"He's barely been gone an hour."

"Ah, but he could return at any moment, and I would like to have a gift waiting for him when he returns. As such, adieu." With that, Jack disappeared into the forest. The next thing Hoarfen heard was the screaming of men, women, and children.

* * *

A few hours passed since Vlad left. Now he was returning in the new flag ship of his crew, with his new shipwright standing next to him. When they weighed anchor, Vlad saw Hoarfen standing on the beach, looking up at him.

"Yo. Looks like you had some fun. Nice looking ship ya got. A bit smaller than the old one, but looks a hell of a lot better. Who's the dude?"

Vlad and Paul began to walk down the gangplank. "This, my friend, is Paul 'Paulie' Phemus."

"Oh, the Blacksmith Cyclops."

"So, you've heard of me, boy?"

"You're pretty famous, old man. That old bastard was actually looking for you so you could improve that club of his."

Paul raised an eyebrow. "Old bastard?"

"He was once a Beast Pirate," Vlad explained.

"Ah, a member of that fool, Kaido's crew."

"Tch. Yeah. That old bastard," Hoarfen said while snarling. "So, you gonna join our crew?"

"I am. Vlad is quite the persuasive man."

"Yup. He definitely is."

Vlad chuckled before he got back to business. "So, where's Jack and Tanya?"

"Hell if I know about the cat, and shit if I care. Probably making you some grub. Ooh, or better yet, she got eaten by a lion." Hoarfen laughed his ass off, until he had to catch a coconut aimed at the back of his head.

"You say something, mutt?"

"Tch, still alive, pussy," Hoarfen snarled as he glared at Tanya.

"Oh, yeah. But unfortunately, so are you. Why don't I fix that by showing you the same kindness I gave this pathetic disgrace," Tanya said as she threw a bloody, slashed, and obviously dead black panther before the group.

"Bring it, pussy," Hoarfen said as he got into a fighting stance, a cold air escaping him.

Tanya also got into a stance, her killing aura escaping her, before she noticed something. "Who's the ripped old man who looks like he can tear the mutt in half with just his pinkie?"

"YOU IGNORING ME, PUSSY?!"

"FUCK OFF, MUTT!"

Vlad cleared his throat, but Hoarfen and Tanya could still tell that he was getting annoyed, and the last thing those two wanted to do was piss off Vlad. "To answer your question, Tanya, this man is our new shipwright. His name is-"

"Phemmy?" Everyone looked to see Jack. "My, my, Phemmy, it truly is you! Such a pleasant surprise!"

Paul sighed. "Vlad, I get, but you look like you've barely aged yourself, Jack. You two are making me feel old. I remember the time when we all looked the same age."

"Ah, the glorious days of when we shared a cell in Level Six. Oh, the memories. You couldn't have come at a better time, Phemmy."

"Hm?"

"Oh, children!"

Paul raised his eyebrow before he saw something walk out of the forest. What he saw made his eyes widen in amazement. "A Minotaur." It was even bigger than Paul himself. It's head and legs were that of a brown bull, while it's chest was that of a muscular human. "And is that... a Minotaur calf?" It barely reached the bull's knee, but it still looked impressive. He had as much muscle as Vlad or Hoarfen. Another Minotaur came out, but it had the fur pattern of a cow.

The next sight really amazed Paul. "Centaurs."

A whole herd of them. Men, women, and children were mixed in the group. The men were either holding heavy clubs or vicious looking spears. All of the women had bows, but Paul could smell that some of them were tipped with poison taken from special plants and frogs found on the archipelago. The children, of course, were unarmed. They were too young for combat. If anything, Paul guessed that they would be nurtured before they would eventually retrieve their training.

Looking at the sight, Paul sighed. "A Cyclops..." He looked at from left, "two Minotaurs," to right, "and a whole herd of Centaurs. It's like a gathering of the myths from that island. What was it's name again?"

"You mean Olympiana," Vlad asked.

"That's it." Paul looked back at the Chimeras, and chuckled. "A Cyclops, two Minotaurs, and a herd of Centaurs, all under the command of a vampire from Slavia." Vlad twitched a bit at the mention of that island, and Paul noticed that mistake. His somber expression was proof of that. "I'm sorry. I forgot you don't like to talk about your past."

"It's alright. It's not important."

"Hm. What is important is that you have some of Olympiana's greatest mythical beasts at your fingertips. One more should make it complete."

Vlad smiled. "Are you talking about who I think you are?"

Paul smiled. "Indeed. Her."

Jack smiled. "Our final and youngest cellmate."

Vlad smiled towards the sea. "The Symphonic Serpent." Paul and Jack also looked towards the sea. All three men had glowing eyes and shining smiles.

Then, they all spoke in perfect unison to say:

"Medusa Gorgon."

When they said that, one could almost sea the silhouette of the back of a beautiful woman with a guitar in her arms, long hair dancing in the wind.

* * *

 **Omake:**

"Hm? Isn't that Vice Admiral John Giant's ship," a marine on the port of the in-progress New Navy HQ asked.

The marine next to him grabbed a pair of binoculars. "Yeah. It is. I heard he was sent into Paradise for recon."

"Wasn't that just a few days ago? No way he should be back now."

"Wait, something's wrong." The marine adjusted his binoculars. "Oh, god."

"What's wrong? What do you see?"

"Blood. Get another Vice Admiral! A giant one! Vice Admiral Lacroix, Vice Admiral Ronse, any of them! Just get a giant!" Upon getting the order, the marine ran like hell.

By the time the ship docked, the Giant Squad was waiting. They saw that the outside of the ship had blood on it. When the gangplank was lowered, the Giant Squad entered to see a horrific sight. John was still being bandaged, his wounds still being treated... and still seeping with blood. The marines were all frantically trying to save their leader, not even noticing the other giants. They were trying to stop him from bleeding to death.

"John!"

The Vice Admiral flinched, and struggled to open an eye. "Lacroix? That you?"

The giant ran over to his comrade, making sure not to step on the small subordinates. "My god, what the hell happened?!"

Ronse ran to the other side of his wounded friend. "Your nose isn't just broken, it's destroyed."

"It's worse than that, sir!" The giants looked down at a saluting marine. "He suffered a devastating blow to the abdomen that ruptured some blood vessels, and possibly his liver. He is suffering from a severe case of internal bleeding. What's worse... he was impaled."

"HE WAS WHAT," Lacroix roared. And to the smaller marines, it was a powerful boom.

"How did that happen," Ronse asked.

The marine was shaking, a look of terror in his eyes. "W-While the Vice Admiral was on land with some of his chosen subordinates... four of them were flung towards the ship. All four of them... all of them... they... they..."

"They did what," Lacroix roared in aggravation.

"THEY MELTED, SIR!" The giants all had shocked expressions. "THEY MELTED INTO PUDDLES OF BLOOD, AND CAME TOGETHER TO FORM A SPIKE LARGE ENOUGH TO IMPALE VICE ADMIRAL JOHN!"

The giants were shocked.

"Wait, that sounds just like-"

"No. No. I can't be. Not him."

Ronse recovered first. "John, who did this to you?"

John gritted his teeth as he looked at his comrade. "It... it was... Phemus. Paulie Phemus. He's back. He's one of the escapees." All the giants had looks of horror on their faces.

"The Blacksmith Cyclops?"

"He's free?"

"And he wants revenge. He actually wants us to find him, so he can kill us with his own bare hands."

"If it's a fight he wants," the giants looked at their cat-eared comrade, who smashed a fist into a palm. "Then we'll gladly give him one." The other giants all agreed with their comrade.

"It's not just Phemus." They all looked back at John. "He's back, too. He's free as well."

"Who, John? Who's helping Phemus," Lacroix asked.

"It's... Tepes. Vladimir. Vlad Tepes! The Bloody Devil is back!"

Absolute horror filled the eyes of all the giants.

The female one in particular stepped back in horror. "No. Not him. Please, not him."

All of the giants had had at least one encounter with him, but she undoubtedly had the worst.

She was just a cadet, newly registered as a marine, when she saw him. She was a part of a Buster Call sent to kill him after a CP squad found out that he was alone on an island after ordering his crew to strike a rival ship without him. They thought it was the perfect chance to kill one of the most infamous pirates on the seas.

When she saw him, she was less than impressed. She couldn't understand why it took a force as mighty as the Buster Call to kill a puny pretty boy. She soon discovered why after her crew attacked him. He effortlessly slaughtered all who attacked him. One of the first of many casualties of that battle was the giantess's own Vice Admiral, who she respected as a teacher.

Then, after slaughtering four of the ten warships, the real nightmare began. Using the blood of the men he had killed, Vlad created an unholy creature that easily dwarfed the giantess. It was large enough to block the sun for even her. It was a true devil.

It was an unstoppable abomination. Nothing could challenge it. Swords. Rifles. Cannons. Haki based techniques. It was all useless against it. It was like the ultimate Logia, and the more it killed, the larger and more powerful it became.

To the marines, it felt like they were fighting the devil for days, but it was in actuality over in a matter of mere minutes. It was a completely one-sided slaughter. All five of the Vice Admirals were slaughtered, their blood fueling the devil. The ships were reduced to nothing more than splinters. Most of the men were either dead or completely paralyzed with horror.

The giantess was neither. She was one of the extremely lucky ones... to be rendered unconscious. She was on a piece of debris large enough to keep her afloat. When she awoke, the first thing she noticed was the return of the sun. The devil was gone... but it's unholy legacy was bare for all to see, and it would forever scar her memory. That was the first time she has ever felt so powerless and the first time she had ever seen what true evil really looked like.

Hearing that he was back made her fall to her knees, hugging herself as she shook in fear. She jumped when she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder, and looked to see Lacroix. "Vice Admiral Lacroix."

"We'll take him down."

"Eh?"

"I won't let anyone go through the hell you did ever again. We'll beat Vlad, and send him back to hell, where he belongs.

"Damn right." The two looked to see John being held up by Ronse while covering the hole in his stomach with his hand. "Tepes, Phemus, and anyone else who stands in the way of peace. We'll take them all down, in the name of Absolute Justice."

The beautiful giantess looked at John with wide eyes, before strength returned to them. "Hell yeah, we will." She then got up. "But first, let's get you to the medical bay. We need to get you patched up so we can go after those bastards."

"Now you're speaking my language. No way am I gonna let you get a piece of Phemus before me. I'm the senior in this group."

The giants chuckled at that, before they helped him towards the doctors. However, as they walked, they all took on serious looks, all thinking the same thing:

" _We'll be coming for you, you evil bastards. Just you wait."_

As they thought that, one could almost see the silhouettes of both Vlad and Paulie, looking down at the giants, with Vlad's crimson eyes glowing at them, while Paulie's single Cyclops eye shinned like a star. It was almost as if their very spirits were accepting the challenge in the hearts of the Giant Squad.

 **A/N: Why do my stories take so long to make?**


	6. Chapter 6

On the island that Vlad made the Paradise Base... it seemed pretty peaceful.

"I'LL FUCKING GUT YOU, CAT!"

"I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU TRY, YA PIECE OF SHIT MUTT!"

Yup. Perfectly peaceful.

Jack was making a few calculations for his Homunculus Project. He wanted to figure out how he would start the experiment. He knew it would take a few tries, but he thought he might as well try to perfect it as much as he can before he starts.

Paul was analyzing the new Chimeras. Vlad gave them to him, hoping he'd find some kind of use for them. He definitely did. The Centaurs were able to easily cart away excess materials, while the Minotaurs were able to lift the heavier lumber or artillery. The Minotaurs were also quick learners when it came to being blacksmiths. Paul would be able to find many uses for these Chimeras.

Vlad was in one of the main buildings that Paul and his Chimeras crafted. He was in a lovely room. Large enough to keep all of the books Vlad had "collected". Paul even made a perch for little Siren to have. She was sleeping on it as Vlad read some sea charts.

As he was reading, the wall on his right side exploded. Siren screamed out of surprise, while Vlad didn't even react. He didn't even look when something came flying towards him. He just lifted his hand and easily caught what flew towards him.

"YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY FROM ME, CAT!"

"I'M RIGHT HERE, MUTT!" Vlad released Tanya when she yelled that, and the beautiful killer pounced at Hoarfen. The two then began rolling around the floor, biting and slashing each other. The only reason they didn't destroy the room was because Vlad created blood walls to make sure they didn't crash into anything.

"You two seem to be having fun."

"A FUCKING BLAST," the two roared as they clashed, their claws moving at blurring speeds.

"Hm." Vlad looked down at a chart, and sighed.

"Something wrong, Vlad," Hoarfen yelled before he bit Tanya's tail, earning an adorable "NYA!" from the cheetah woman.

"Just a tad bit bored. I'm sure we have everything we need to enter the New World, but I don't feel like leaving Paradise yet. Almost as if I'm missing something." Vlad was quiet for a bit, the only sound being heard was Hoarfen and Tanya fighting, with Siren flying away to different spots to avoid their scuffle.

After a while, Vlad got up, and started walking. His first mate and cook... "followed" him... while still fighting. They were basically rolling along side him as they bit and scratched each other. Vlad left the building and went to the beach. As he stood before the waves, he summoned his blood wings. "I'm going out for a bit. Be sure to tell Jack and Paul for me."

"BRING BACK A DOG WHISTLE," Tanya yelled as she slashed Hoarfen... on the butt.

"YOW! WHY YOU LITTLE-!"

Vlad chuckled as he shook his head. "Try not to kill each other while I'm gone."

"NO PROMISES," the two roared in unison as they punched each other in the face hard enough to cause waves.

Vlad smiled before he started to fly away. When he got far enough, he looked back at the beach to see that Hoarfen and Tanya had transformed into their hybrid forms to continue their fight. "Those two get along far too well."

* * *

Vlad had been flying for about an hour, and was getting a bit lightheaded. He just remembered that he forgot to eat breakfast and that he hasn't been attacked for a while, so he concluded that he was suffering from anemia. The fact that his powers actually uses up blood as well as manipulate it only strengthened the theory.

Not even Vlad's powers were infinite. He still needed to eat to replenish his own blood supply. He can easily steal blood from other living beings, but you kinda need living beings in order to do that. His Awakening could also create blood... if he was standing on dry land or able to land near a lake or a body of water near land, but there was nothing but sea for as far as the eye can see. No where for him to land, and he couldn't risk flying down to touch even the surface of the ocean. If he was at full strength, he wouldn't hesitate, but he was too weak and tired to even think about doing something so risky.

Still, after a minute or two of flying, he caught a lucky break. He saw a pirate ship not too far from him. He flew towards it as fast as he could, making sure not to overuse his remaining blood supply. However, when he got closer, he heard something.

"What an unpleasant sound. Is that what passes for singing these days?"

It was an operatic singing. He could only hear one voice, but it wasn't coming from the ship. It came from somewhere farther. Too far for Vlad to reach with his current anemia.

Instead, he landed on the ship, expecting a fight. However, he saw that all the pirates looked hypnotized. Their eyes were completely blank. Vlad even walked up to one of them and snapped his fingers in front of their eyes. He then waved a hand in front of his face and finally slapped him. The man just turned his head back to it's original spot.

"Hm. Interesting." Vlad then ripped off the shoulder of the man's shirt. "I'm sure you won't mind." Vlad then opened his mouth, showing his canine teeth growing into fangs. Then, he plunged them into the man's neck. The man didn't even scream. He didn't react at all.

In just a few short seconds, Vlad had drained the man completely of his blood, leaving behind a dried up husk. Before the unfortunate man fell dead to the ground, Vlad grabbed him by his paper thin neck. He licked his lips of any excess blood before looking at the corpse. "Thank you for the meal." Vlad then dragged the corpse over to the side of the ship. "Let me repay you by rehydrating you. You look like you could use a drink." Vlad then threw the man overboard, and watched him float in the water, before some sea creature dragged his body under.

Vlad starred at the waters before felling a presence. He saw fog approaching. After the ship sailed through it a bit, he looked to see an island appear. It was there the singing was at it's strongest.

When the ship landed, Vlad heard the captain say something, "Tribute."

Vlad watched as the pirates carried chests and bags. The captain himself was carrying a large piece of gold that was more than likely worth millions. "And where are you taking those, my zombie-like friends?"

Vlad followed the pirates into the island. When he entered, he saw that it was filled to the brim with treasure. Among the gold and jewels were hundreds of hypnotized men and women. Pirates, civilians, and even marines. Not only that, but there were also fishmen and Minks. Vlad also saw Long-arms and Long-legs, as well as even Long-necks. Nearly every type of person in the world was in this cavern. The only thing that was missing was a giant. At the very center of the cavern was a single woman. She was beautiful, but Vlad thought she was nowhere near as beautiful as Tanya... or Medusa.

Ignoring the woman, Vlad went about exploring the cavern, studying the gold. "Hm, I should make a note about this island." Vlad took out a notebook, and started writing down about his discovery. "I could use this money. I'll need to have Jack make some more Chimeras so they can defend this place form any unwanted visitors."

How odd of you to ignore my song.

Vlad looked up at the woman.

Do you not love me?

The women then posed in a sexual way.

Adore me?

Vlad was quiet for a bit before he looked back at the treasure. "I have been in the presence of two true singers. One is but a child. A young lady. These past few months, she has been serenading me with her angelic voice. The other is a woman. A gorgeous woman with a voice to match. I can still see her. Her silky, flowing, green hair. Her smooth, olive skin. Her beautiful yet deadly eyes that resemble a viper's when in a challenging mood. Hers is a voice none other can match."

This woman you speak

Her name, may it be

The Symphonic Serpent

Me-du-sa?

Vlad smiled. "Ah, so you know her?"

Indeed, I do.

I shared a cell

With that vile Serpent

That caught Vlad's attention. "You are an escapee of Level Six?"

I am

"Hm. What a coincidence. So am I."

The woman looked a bit surprised.

What a revelation.

Men of those cells,

Have the strongest of wills.

How else could you resist

My beautiful voice?

"Quite easily, actually." The woman looked at Vlad, who had his eyes close while holding his head down a bit, with a smirk on his face. "After all, the two I mentioned before have naturally beautiful voices, and more than enough talent to sing with the music God had given them." He then looked at her with a glowing red eye. "They don't need to relay on the power of a Devil Fruit to make their voices beautiful."

The woman's eyes widened, with her voice rising.

"If I remember correctly, there are two Mythical Fruits that gives one the powers of the legendary Siren, the Bird-Bird Fruit... and the Snake-Snake Fruit. Which are you, I wonder?"

The woman glared at Vlad.

You say you are immune to my voice.

"I most certainly am."

I will accept your challenge

"Challenge?"

I will use my song

To make

You

Mine

When she said that last lyric, she sped up her singer to a sort of battle theme. When she did, the hypnotized men and women started to move. They all walked towards Vlad, all of them grabbing swords, maces, and other weapons out of the treasure.

Vlad watched as they lumbered over towards him. He chuckled as he shook his head in disappointment. "Is this supposed to intimidate me?"

One of the men then sprinted towards Vlad, and tried to slash him in half. Vlad simply stepped to the side. "Ooh, faster than I expected." Vlad then impaled the assailant with his hand, and ripped out the still beating heart, watching the corpse fall to the ground. "But not nearly fast enough."

Vlad then crushed the heart, and formed the blood into a short sword. He then slashed the next attacker, and used his blood to the short sword into a double-edged saber. Three victims tried to attack him at once, but Vlad just slashed all three of them across the abdomen. Their blood made the saber into a long-sword katana.

With one might swing, Vlad cut about ten victims in half. He used their blood to make the sword into a whip. With his new blood whip, Vlad attacked many of the hypnotized assailants from a distance. He whipped one woman's eye out of her socket, while he actually tore off the jaw of a man. To add insult to injury, Vlad used his whip to slam the jaw into the skull of another man.

Under normal circumstances, the people would be absolutely horrified of Vlad, running for their lives after witnessing his demonic brutality. However, these hypnotized fools didn't react to his cruelty at all. They just kept on running towards him. None of them reacted to the tortuous pain Vlad was putting them through. Even the woman who's eye was whipped out kept trying to attack. The most disturbing part was that the ones who were whipped didn't even scream. They didn't make any sounds. No grunts, moans, or groans.

They were no different from zombies.

However, that didn't matter to Vlad. If anything, it fed his blood-lust and sadistic nature. He was enjoying skewering these pathetic little maggots.

Then, there was a sort of quake.

It shook the entire cavern, making even Vlad stumble a bit before regaining balance. Next was the sound of coins falling. There was also the sound of something rising. It was coming from behind. Vlad causally turned around to see what it was.

"Oh, so there was one."

Out of a giant mountain of gold came a hypnotized giant. Without uttering a sound, he threw a massive fist at Vlad. Vlad simple jumped out of the way, watching the giant's fist smash into the ground. Vlad smiled at the destruction.

Before he landed, he cracked his whip, and watched as the tip lodged itself into the giant's throat. Vlad then swung around the giant as if the great man were a common tree. Vlad swung around the man several times, his blood whip wrapping around the giant's neck. After a while, the whip was completely around the giant's throat, causing Vlad to have to land on the giant's nape. The giant tried to reach for Vlad, but it was too late.

Using his inhuman strength, Vlad pulled on the whip's handle, choking the giant. The giant struggled to at least throw Vlad off, but Vlad made that impossible by channeling the blood he spilt to the soles of his boots and forming them into cleats that anchored Vlad onto the giant's neck.

Vlad's sadistic smile grew as the giant continued to struggle, with Vlad gradually adding more strength into his pull. Finally, the sound Vlad was waiting for occurred. The sound of a neck snapping. The giant then fell dead onto a few other hypnotized victims, killing them.

Vlad just casually jumped off of the giant corpse and patted the giant's cheek. "Happy Birthday, Jack. He's gonna have a heart-attack from pure happiness once I give him this." Vlad then looked at the still singing woman, who now had a look of worry in her eyes. The giant must have been her trump card. With that thought, Vlad smirked at the woman, a challenging look in his eye that seemed to irritate the woman.

Then, he threw his whip to the ground, confusing the woman.

He then lifted his hands, and made the blood swarm all around him. It swallowed every remaining hypnotized victim and tore them to shreds. The blood then started to form into two large hands... and clapped around the woman, stopping her music.

Vlad stayed in this position, before putting his hands in his pockets, and letting the blood splash onto the pillar and ground. He saw no sign of the woman. "Well, that's the end of that."

Vlad was then about to leave the cave, wanting to get back to the archipelago to tell jack about his find. Then, he sensed something.

He looked behind him for only a second. That one second earned him a strike hard enough to smash him through four piles of gold, before being planted into the stone wall. He groaned in pain as he ripped himself out of the wall. "What the hell was that?"

He then looked up. "Oh, so that's what it was. So, you ate the Serpent version, huh?"

Vlad was looking at a colossal serpent that wrapped around the pillar. It looked large enough to swallow the dead giant whole. It released a mighty roar that made the cavern itself shake. The gold piles fell all around the cavern and the blood was even shaking. Still, Vlad just kept calm and cool. He just kept on smiling, like he was watching a joke unfold.

"I will be the end of you!"

"Oh, so you can speak in that form, and you don't always need to speak in that annoyingly melodious tone."

The snake's eyes widened in rage before she lunged towards Vlad. He just stood there as the giant serpent opened her mouth, preparing to swallow him whole.

Time seemed to slow down when the snake was mere inches away. Before it could swallow Vlad... he snapped his fingers.

When he did, a crimson hand grabbed the serpent's throat, which greatly surprised her. Then, the hand started to smash her head against the ground, then onto the walls, followed by dragging her through the piles of gold, before finally smashing her into the ceiling. The serpent was unmoving before she fell towards the ground. Before she could hit the ground, the hand landed a viscous uppercut that smashed her into the ceiling over the pillar. Then, more blood traveled towards her head, taking the shape of another hand. When it was complete, the hand smashed the snake into the pillar, reducing it to dust.

Before the dust could settle, Vlad nonchalantly walked into it. It didn't take him long to find the now beaten and battered woman. She groaned in pain as she desperately tried to look up at Vlad. "Who... what... are... you?"

Vlad smirked. "You ask what I am without introducing yourself? You are so close at death's door. Don't you want to die with a name?"

The woman glared at Vlad. "The Slithering Siren-" the woman coughed up some blood. After all the damage Vlad inflicted on her, it wouldn't be surprising if she had some ruptured organs. Internal bleeding was the least of her worries. "Florence."

"I see." Vlad was silent for a bit before he smirked with a sadistic chuckle. "I've never heard of you."

Florence's eyes widened. "W-What?" She then glared and gritted her teeth. "And yet you know that damnable woman?!"

"Well, of course I do," Vlad said with a chuckle. "I was her cellmate once."

That shocked the woman. "You... were her cellmate? Who are you?"

Vlad smiled as he bowed. "Vladimir 'Vlad' Tepes, at your service."

Florence now had a look of horror. "T-The Bloody Devil?"

Vlad heard the absolute fear in her voice. "Oh, so you've heard of me."

"Among all the Level Six prisoners, yours was one of the most feared. A devil among monsters. . . . From the horror stories alone, even I agree... that you were the absolute last that should have escaped from Impel Down."

Vlad chuckled. "So even Level Six prisoners fear me. Interesting."

Vlad looked down at Florence, and reached for her throat. As soon as he gripped it, he easily lifted her off the ground, and held her as high as he could. "It would be so easy for me to kill you, right here and now." Vlad began to tighten his grip, choking Florence. His eyes were turning red, with his sadistic smile growing larger. He thought Florence's pained gagging was far more beautiful than her singing. He was then about to break her neck completely.

Then, he saw something. A vision. Florence was there, standing on another pillar, surrounded by more slaves than before. Below that was five figures. Two young women, three young men, and a snake. Among them, a young man with the characteristics of a fishman stepped forward, as if challenging Florence. Once he stepped forward, the other four figures fell, as if falling asleep, leaving the fishman alone to face Florence.

Vlad like what he saw. He sensed great potential in all of those children. The vision made him smile.

"But that would be a trivial waste of time." Vlad loosened his grip enough to allow Florence to gasp and pant for air. He then started to walk, with Florence still suffering in his grasp. "I want you to live. I want you to remember that there is a being in this world whom your voice has no power over. A being you can't hope to control. Live knowing your voice cannot conquer all."

Florence coughed. "You're... wrong."

Vlad looked at Florence with a dark and cruel smile. "Oh?"

Florence looked at Vlad with a defiant glare. "My voice... can conquer all. I'll... prove it... one day." Florence coughed again. "I will find you... and conquer you."

Vlad smiled, chuckled a bit, and then laughed boisterously. "Interesting. I like the look in your eyes. Then come. Once you've made sure that you can conquer all, find me. Try and conquer the devil himself. Until then, you are forbidden from coming near this island ever again. This is now my territory. My prize for humiliating you. Now, go on, and try to grow stronger. Until then..." Vlad then lifted Florence with both arms and got into a throwing position. "Have a nice flight."

With that, Vlad threw Florence. He used so much strength, that he actually caused a sonic boom. She was gone in a matter of seconds, not even a twinkle being left behind.

Vlad looked forward towards the sea, smiling at his actions. He then took out his notebook, and marked the exact location of the island. After he was satisfied with what he wrote down, he summoned the blood he split to form blood wings, and flew away.

* * *

"Well, that was an enjoyable amount of fun. Found an island full of treasure, killed a giant, made a new enemy..." Vlad then reached for his eyes. "And had a vision. How long has it been since I've last had one of those? Old age seems to take it's tole on you, one way or the other. This has been a truly enjoyable day. I can't think of any way to improve it."

As he flew, he heard a familiar song. "Kelas? Wait, I only know one person who can sing that old gypsy song." Vlad then heard someone sing. "That gorgeous voice. Is it really her?"

Vlad followed the sound of the guitar and singing. He flew towards a small island and landed. He saw a small dingy and walked into the forest. When he did, the music got more energetic. It was her style. Vlad ran, following the music. It didn't take him long to reach the one who was playing the song.

It was just her back, but Vlad easily recognized her. She was having fun, singing that song. It was a shame it was over when he reached her. "You always seem to finish on a high note."

The woman then began to play another song on her guitar. "I suppose you can call it my style." The woman was still playing as she looked back at Vlad, showing her beautiful green eyes. "How are you, Vlad?"

"Fine. And how about you, Medusa?"

Medusa smiled. "I'd say I'm doing fairly well... for an escapee, anyway."

Vlad chuckled at that, walked up next to her, and sat down. "I guess I can easily say the same." Vlad looked at her. "You haven't changed a bit since we were cellmates."

Medusa giggled. "I wish I could say the same. You actually look younger."

Vlad chuckled. "That's the exact same thing Paulie said."

"Oh, so you met up with him?" Medusa actually put down her guitar when she asked that question.

"And Jack as well. I also ran into two other Level Six inmates before running into those two. They're a part of my crew."

"Oh? You've remade the Bloody Pirates?"

"More or less. Missing a few things, like a musician."

"Hmm." Medusa had a knowing look in her eye.

The two were quiet for a bit, both starring out at sea. "Medusa... you know exactly what I'm going to ask, right?"

"I have an idea."

"Well?"

"I don't mind."

"You didn't even hesitate."

"And why should I? I've known you for a good amount of time. I can trust you. Besides, sailing with the Bloody Devil himself will be safer than sailing alone."

Vlad lightly laughed. "I guess I can't argue with that." The two then starred out at the sparkling sea in silence, both enjoying the scenery. After a bit of time, Vlad stood up. "Well, shall we go," Vlad asked as he extended his hand.

Medusa smiled at the gesture before accepting the hand and was helped back up onto her dainty feet.

Vlad chuckled at the sight. "You still walk around barefoot?"

Medusa giggled. "Well, it was actually pure luck that I got this dress." It was a grass-green one piece. It was a modest garb that covered her shoulders and reached all the way to her ankles. Her well-toned arms were expose, and the dress hugged her large breasts. Though it was a lovely dress, Medusa's natural beauty made it look gorgeous. "The 'donors' didn't have any shoes to go with the dress."

"Ah, I see. Mine were actually considerate enough to have some boots along with the clothes they 'gave' me."

"So I see. Those clothes suite you very well." Medusa then walked up to Vlad, and touched the cross necklace. "Especially this." Medusa then looked up at Vlad with a kind smile, but sad looking eyes. "You're still praying, aren't you."

Vlad knew it wasn't a question. Still, he gave her an answer. "Yes."

Medusa's smile didn't go away, and she looked back at the cross. "How ironic. The Bloody Devil asking for forgiveness from the being he is supposed to be opposed to. Let me guess... you're still praying that He gives you a good death, correct?"

Vlad sighed. "You always did seem to know me almost too well, Medusa."

"Call it one of my talents." Medusa then walked over towards her guitar in an unintentionally sensual way. She picked up the instrument and turned towards Vlad. "Shall we go, captain?"

Vlad looked at his new, beautiful musician, and smiled. "Very well." He then walked over to Medusa, and lifted her in the bridal style. He then summoned his wings. "Hold on tight."

Medusa smiled. "Oh, don't worry about me, captain." Vlad then felt something wrap around his waist. He looked to see that it was a serpent's tail. More specifically, Medusa's. Her lovely legs transformed into a glistening snake's tail that was more than long and powerful enough to help her have a tight grip on Vlad, no matter how fast he flew.

With a smile, Vlad jumped off the cliff. With just two flaps of his wings, Vlad was flying towards his archipelago, with a new crew mate in his arms.

* * *

It didn't take long for him to reach the archipelago.

"My, my, was there a battle here?"

"There was. Between two of my crew mates."

"Oh? Just two? They must be quite powerful to cause that must destruction."

There were craters all over the beach. Patches of the forest looked like it was ripped from the roots. There was even a bit of blood here and there, but Vlad could tell from the scent that it was Chimera blood. Jack must be working on new ones to replace the ones Hoarfen and Tanya accidentally killed during their scuffle.

Vlad landed on the beach, and watched as Medusa's tail went back to her elegant legs. He gently placed the beauty back onto her feet. "This is a lovely island."

"Thank you. I chose it personally."

"You have fine taste, Vladimir." Vlad smiled at Medusa's compliment.

Before they could take one step, Hoarfen in his full giant wolf form came wrestling out of the forest with Tanya in her Awakened form. The two rolled towards Vlad and Medusa. However, the two human-sized beings showed no concern for the boulder of fur rolling towards them. Medusa just stood still with a smile on her face while Vlad stepped forward, and stopped the two giant beasts with one hand. "Do you two ever run out of energy?"

The two looked down at Vlad, with Hoarfen biting Tanya's arm, while she had her claws stuck in his shoulder. "Vlad," the two yelled in unison. The two then reverted back to their human forms, with Hoarfen being shirtless and Tanya barely having any semblance of a bra left. Though the two were both covered in blood, they barely had any scratches on them. It must have been thanks to the Zoan healing factor. "You're back!"

"Uh-huh. Looks like you two had quite a bit of fun."

Hoarfen then started to sniff. "Smells like you did, too. You reek of blood from different species. Wait a minute." Hoarfen sniffed Vlad some more. "I SMELL GIANT BLOOD! YOU FOUGHT A GIANT?!"

"Killed one, actually."

"NO FAIR! I WANT TO KILL A GIANT!"

"Oh, is that so?"

Hoarfen looked behind him to see Paul walking up to the group while polishing something. "Come on, Paul. I didn't mean you. Besides, you're a Cyclops. Totally different league. Plus, you're someone I already like. Now, if you were the cat, I wouldn't hesitate to fillet you."

"Like you could even do that in your dreams," Tanya hissed.

"Oh, I'll make it a fucking reality, pussy," Hoarfen growled. The two then glared at one another, both looking ready for another fight.

Paul sighed at the sight. However, the sound of giggling caught his attention. He looked towards the feminine voice. "Oh, Medusa."

"Hello, Paul. It has been a while, hasn't it?"

"I should say so. Still, even after all these years, you haven't aged a day."

"My, thank you for the compliment. You seem to have changed."

Paul sighed and started rubbing his head. "Yeah, I lost a bit of my hai-"

"Your muscles got bigger."

"That's what you meant," Paul asked with a blank look. The question made Medusa giggled.

"So, Vlad, who's the babe? You're new woman or something? Got tired of the cat already, huh," Hoarfen asked. Tanya's eyes were shadowed, and she had an aura of rage around her.

"My, my. Calling me a 'babe'? I suppose I should consider it a compliment that a young man such as you considers me attractive."

"Young? I'm twenty-eight."

"And I am fifty-four." What Medusa said caused Hoarfen and Tanya to lose all color. Tanya herself was twenty-six, and Medusa looked like she was the same age as she was. Now the two find out she's old enough to be their mother, and yet still looks so young? What was that woman's secret?

"She's our new musician."

Vlad's words brought Hoarfen and Tanya back to reality. The two looked at their captain before looking back at Medusa. They just realized that she was holding a guitar.

Medusa bowed in a polite and lady-like manner. "I hope we get along, and that you enjoy my music."

"Uh... sure. . . . So... you're not Vlad's new girlfriend," Hoarfen had to block a kick from Tanya after asking that.

"Hm... actually... I wouldn't mind sharing Vlad's bed."

"Nya," Tanya cried with a shocked look.

"Nor would I," Vlad stated.

"NYA!" Hoarfen laughed at Tanya's reaction, which made him have to dodge a few slashes from the angry Cheetah woman.

"Oh, my, what is with all of the commotion I hear?" Everyone looked to see Jack walking out of the forest, holding a notebook that he was still writing in. "Hm? My word! Is that you, Meddy?"

Medusa giggled at the nickname. "It has been quite some time, Jackie."

"Oh, how long has it been since anyone has called my that artistic name. I see you have not lost your taste, Meddy."

"And I see you're still as young as ever."

"Et tu, my dear. You're still as lovely a work of art as when I first met you. Like all of my colleagues, your art is perfection."

Medusa giggled. "You always were quite charming, Jackie."

"Oh, that reminds me." Everyone looked at Vlad. "Jack, I'm pretty sure I have a new art project for you."

"Oh?"

Vlad brought his fingers to his mouth and whistled. When he did, many Chimeras came running.

Medusa was surprised. "My, what could these adorable creatures be?"

"Ah, these are my latest works of art, Meddy. They are the Chimeras."

"Chimeras?"

"Yes. I take a human and an animal and fuse them together to make these magnificent creatures."

"Hm... could you perhaps make some Snake Chimeras?"

"Oh, but of course, Meddy."

"You can do that later," Vlad said before he summoned his wings. "For now, grab onto a Sky Chimera, and have it follow me. And bring a squad of Chimeras." The Bloody Pirates were confused about that last order, but followed it anyway.

When everyone got a Sky Chimera, they had them follow Vlad.

* * *

In just a short flight, past the fog, they saw the island.

"Huh, cool design," Hoarfen commented.

"Just wait until you see what's inside," Vlad said.

Hoarfen raised an eyebrow at that statement. He then saw what Vlad meant when he and the others followed Vlad into the cave. "HOLY GOLDEN HELL!"

"S-So much gold," Tanya said.

Paul was already digging through the treasure, and took out a sword with a golden handle. He analyzed it with his free hand on his chin. "Hm, a fairly decent weapon. Though, without the golden hilt, it's not worth much. Oh." Paul continued to dig through the pile, looking for more weapons. "Hm, nice shield."

Medusa was squatting down to analyze some of the treasure. "Hm, I could probably use this to buy some new strings for my guitar."

"GOLDENBALL!"

Medusa looked to see Hoarfen actually cannonball into a pile of gold. The fact that he was able to slam into the gold and make it fall down like a stream was a testament to how powerful his body was. Still, Medusa couldn't help but giggle at what she perceived as a cute scene.

"Oh, how exquisite. However, this is not what you wanted to show me, is it, Vladdy?"

"Nope." Vlad then started to walk, with Jack following him. "This is."

"Hm?" Jack then stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes as wide as the shield Paulie found. He at first made a small whine, before it gradually got louder and high in pitch before it sounded like an opera note. It reminded Vlad of Florence, only better. As a joke and experiment, Vlad bit into his hand to form a wine glass. As soon as it was fully formed, it shattered from Jack's voice.

"VLADDY! WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE HOW MUCH I TRULY LOVE YOU AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME!"

Hoarfen jumped out of the pile of gold he was in. "What's got Jack all exci- THAT'S A FUCKING GIANT!"

The rest of the crew came, and saw that it was true.

Hoarfen grabbed Vlad by the collar, and started to shake him. "YOU WERE TOTALLY SERIOUS! YOU DID GET TO KILL A FUCKING GIANT! HOW COME YOU GET ALL THE FUN?!"

"Eh. I was bored on the archipelago, remember? Besides, you could have come with me, but you were busy fighting Tanya, right?"

Hoarfen then pointed at Tanya. "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT, YA FUCKING PUSSY CAT!"

"FUCK YOU!"

The two then got into another fight.

Still, it didn't matter to the other Bloody Pirates, not even the new Medusa. They were more interested in the giant corpse.

"Oh, the things I could do with this body. The possibilities are endless. Ah, but I do not have the material necessary to make this magnificent body into art. Oh, how wasteful to leave it to the elements to rrrrrrot! *He actually rolled his tongue for the 'r'* If only I could preserve this magnificent treasure."

When Jack said that, a wave of freezing cold air blasted past him and the other three pirates, striking the corpse. When the cloud of freezing air was gone, the giant was encased in blue ice. Not even time would be able to touch the body.

Everyone blinked at the sparkling sight, and looked behind them to see Hoarfen in his wolf form, firing ice breath at Tanya, who kept effortlessly dodging. He had no idea he helped Jack.

Jack looked at Hoarfen for a bit, before looking back at the corpse, and then back at Hoarfen. "Thank you, Hoarffy," Jack yelled through a cupped hand.

"Huh? Yeah. Sure. Anytime."

"You're wide open," Tanya yelled as she stabbed Hoarfen near his butt.

"OW! LEAVE MY ASS ALONE, YA DAMNED PUSSY!" He then reverted back into his hybrid form, and was able to tackle Tanya into a pile of gold.

Vlad chuckled at the scene before getting back to business. "Now then, for obvious reasons, we need to leave some Chimeras to defend this island like with the archipelago."

"Worry not, Vladdy. While you were away, I crafted some new works of art, some to replace the ones ruined by dear Hoarffy and Tanny, and some completely original. The ones we brought here should be more than enough to defend our Bloody Treasure Island."

"Bloody Treasure Island?"

"What? Do you not like it?"

Vlad took a while to think... and chuckled. "Actually, it works pretty well. This will be known as Paradise's Bloody Treasure Island."

"Which means we will have to create a New World's Bloody Treasure Island," Medusa asked.

"Or steal one. Which ever comes first. Now then," Vlad created bags made from his own blood. "Fill these bags with as much treasure as possible. After that, we will leave for the archipelago to make preparations for our journey into the New World."

"Understood, captain," said the remaining Bloody Pirates, totally ignoring the fighting Hoarfen and Tanya. With their given order, the pirates went to collect as much treasure as they could get. As they did this, Vlad walked over to the frozen corpse, and placed a hand on it.

It was cold enough to irritate even Vlad. When he took his hand off of it, his palm was still steaming from the extreme cold. "Looks like this will last for a few centuries if left undisturbed." Vlad them smiled at the corpse. "I can't wait to see what Jack makes from you. I'm sure you will be..." Vlad's eyes then began to glow crimson.

Then, he had another vision. What he saw was a shadowed giant, one far larger than the one now frozen in ice. It was surrounded by countless ships while standing thigh deep in the ocean. They seemed to have been pirate ships... and a few marine ships. Both were attacking the shadowed giant at once. It took all of the attacks without even flinching.

Then, one mighty swing created a tidal wave that destroyed more than half of the armada attacking it. It seemed to be practically unstoppable. The ultimate bio-weapon. A creature powerful enough to rival even the Ancient Weapons themselves. When Vlad had the vision, he could only call the creature he saw one thing with a smile.

"Magnificent."

* * *

 **Omake:**

Florence was lying face down on a beach, her body practically numb. She could barely even twitch.

"My word!"

"That poor woman! Was she in a ship wreck?!"

"We must take her to the doctor immediately!"

Florence then felt some people lift her, but she was too tired to even open her eyes.

After an unknown amount of time passed, she was able to slowly open her eyes.

"Ah, you are awake."

Florence looked to see an elderly man in a white doctor's coat. "Where... am... I?"

"Just on a quiet little island in the Grand Line. You suffered quite a bit of damage, young lady. Some of your organs were ruptured, as well as some broken bones. Your throat was especially damaged."

"My... throat?" Florence then remembered what had happened to her. The image of Vlad's sadistic smile was vivid in her mind. "Will I... be able... to sing... again?"

"Ah, so you are a singer. Fret not, young lady. The damage to your throat is not permanent. I have all the necessary herbs, tools, and medication to heal you. The world will be able to hear your voice once more in no time." The old man had a kind smile when he said that.

Florence... gave a beautiful smile. "Thank... you." She then looked up at the ceiling. "There... is someone... I need to... sing to." She then saw Vlad's back and tried to reach for it. "I... want him... to hear it. . . . I need him... to... hear it."

The old doctor gently held Florence's hand, and softly placed it on her stomach. "Fret not. He will. For now, you must rest. Please, try to sleep for now, young lady." Florence smiled at the doctor, and closed her eyes. The doctor looked at the sleeping beauty with a smile, and walked away. "He is a lucky man, whoever it is you wish to hear your voice."

The doctor then left the room, and gently closed the door.

When he did, Florence's smile was replaced with a scowl, one filled to the brim with hatred. She then opened her eyes. They too were filled with the most bitter hatred. _"Just you wait, Vladimir. I will return. I will have even more slaves, even more power, and will be able to steal even your soul. Once you're under the spell of my voice, I will put you through an unimaginable hell. I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!"_

 **A/N: Believe it or not, I think this is one of the fastest chapters I have ever written.**


	7. Chapter 7

Vlad walked up to the Crimson Palace, the name Paul gave the ship he crafted, and the official flag ship of the Bloody Pirates. It's Jolly Roger was a blood red Skull with vampiric fangs dripping some blood, with red crossbones behind it.

The ship was being loaded with supplies, such as food and drink. Some weapons and materials for both Paul and Jack were brought aboard as well. Some of the treasure from the Paradise Treasure Island was also being carried into the ship. It was being loaded by the chosen Chimeras that would accompany the crew to the chosen New World base.

As Vlad watched the loading process, he heard the sound of wings behind him. "You do remember your assignment, correct," Vlad looked behind him. "Owlman?"

Behind Vlad was an Owl Chimera, just a tad bit taller than Vlad himself. The Chimera bowed before Vlad. "I do, sir. I am to search the New World for three islands. A New World Treasure Island, a New World Base... and an island for 'sacrifice'."

"The sacrificial island is arguably the most important of all, even more so than the Base. You do know what I am asking you to do, correct?"

Owlman was quiet for a bit. "To find an inhabited island... for the Bloody Pirates and the Chimeras to sate their bloodlust."

"Indeed." Vlad looked to see Hoarfen overseeing the loading process, Tanya giving orders as to where certain supplies would go, Jack and Paul analyzing the materials, and Medusa tuning her guitar. "Though most of the top crew members look human, we are no different from the feral Chimeras. We are... monsters."

Vlad looked at his own hand. "I myself am struggling to keep my desire for spilling blood in check. If we don't get some kind of outlet to release our pent up savagery, I can't guarantee what will become of the island that will fall prey to our inhumane desires. I'd rather avoid getting any kind of attention at this point in time. We're not yet powerful enough to be noticed by the world."

Vlad then looked at Owlman. "Are you able to fulfill this mission? The first two involve no bloodshed, but the final part... is you literally sentencing an all but innocent island of unknowing citizens to death."

Owlman was silent for a bit before he bowed his head. "For you, my captain, I will do anything. I was but a cripple, an unwanted man who was being sent to the Holy Land to be tortured to death for the amusement of the Celestial Dragons. You gave me a new body, and a new life. For the debt I will never be able to repay, I will do anything for you and the crew... even murder."

"That is good to hear, for you know that you must not be discovered on this mission. Man, woman, elder, or child; it matters not. If anyone were to see you," Vlad looked at the bowing Owlman. "You do know what must be done, correct?"

"I am to terminate them."

"And?"

"And make it seem as if they were murdered, by either bandit or beast. I must not leave any trace of the Chimeras."

"Very good." Vlad then looked forward. "Dismissed." When he said that, the sound of wings flapping was heard. Then, it slowly disappeared, with Vlad no longer sensing anyone behind him.

* * *

After a few minutes, it was time to finally set sail. With a small army of Chimeras on both The Paradise Base and Treasure Island, the Crimson Palace sailed towards the Red Line. It didn't take long for the ship to reach the destination.

It might have been the quality of the ship, the workload, or Medusa's music that made time seem to go faster for the cruise, but it didn't matter. Vlad saw the Red Line, which meant that they were close to the entrance of the New World: Sabaody Archipelago.

In a matter of minutes, the archipelago was within Vlad's sight. "Weigh anchor at the closest harbor."

"Yes, captain," A falcon Chimera answered as he steered the ship. He was able to perfectly position the ship near a harbor, and screeched to signal his brothers to lower the anchor. An eagle and crow Chimera were all that was needed. The two Chimeras made lifting that large anchor that weighed tens of thousands of pounds look as easy as lifting one of their own feathers.

After the ship was proper secured, and the gang plank was lowered, the Chimeras made themselves scarce by hiding in certain sections of the ship. It was one of Vlad's first orders. The Zoan excuse can only work for so long, and people would probably find it suspicious that a large number of Zoans are on that one ship.

* * *

The core members walked from the ship, and looked around.

"These people look pretty tense," Hoarfen said.

"Well, we are pirates," Tanya said. She then looked at the people. "But it doesn't seem like it's us they're afraid of."

"Of course not," Vlad said. "Sabaody Archipelago is the final island of Paradise, and practically the entrance to the New World. Pirates are common on this island." Vlad looked at a tree. "Especially here. That tree has number twenty-five written on it, meaning we're in the lawless area of the island. Pirates and bounty hunters run amok here."

"Oh, that explains why this idiot tried to gut me." Vlad looked to see that Hoarfen had impaled a pirate with his sword over his head, obviously wanting to cleave Hoarfen's head in two. Hoarfen yanked his arm out of the man's chest, and watched him fall to the ground. He licked his fingers to taste the blood, and looked less than satisfied. "Weak."

"Still, the pirates aren't what's making the townspeople tense. Something else is here," Paul said with his arms crossed.

* * *

There was some bounty hunters hiding behind the barrels. "T-That guy is huge."

"We can't take that guy on! He looks like he could crush us like grapes with just his pinky."

"L-Let's at least see his bounty." The guy then took out a book filled with bounty posters, and started searching. "Huh? A huge guy like that doesn't have a bounty?"

"Seriously? He looks like he could crush a village. What about the pretty boy that stabbed the unfortunate bastard with just his arm?"

The bounty hunter began to scrawl through the book. "What the-? How can a guy who can kill so easily not have a bounty?"

"Do any of them have bounties?"

The guy looked. "No. None of them." The guy then looked at Vlad's group, who were walking into the town. "But those guys are definitely not rookies. You can tell by just looking at them that they're all veteran pirates."

"You don't think they're privateers, do you?"

"Hell no. They've got to be pirates. No way guys like that would work for the government."

"Then why don't they have bounties?"

"Hell if I know, and shit if I care. They're not worth anything, so there's no point in risking our lives."

"Oh, Vlad, I'd like to buy some new guitar strings. Could you lend me some money?"

"Sure." Vlad then took out a large bag, and opened it. The bounty hunters eyes turned totally black when they saw all the gold in that bag, and watched as Vlad took out a few gold coins, and gave it to the exotic beauty.

"So... much... gold."

"He took it out, knowing there are a shit ton of pirates around."

"That guy's either seriously strong, or seriously stupid."

"Alright, we'll separate for now. I'll look for someone to coat the Crimson Palace. The rest of you search for any necessities the island may offer." Vlad then gave each of them a certain amount of gold. "We each have the transponder snails Jack and Paul made for us, correct," Vlad asked as he pulled up a sleeve to show what looked like a watch, but was instead holding a mini transponder snail. The crew all showed Vlad that they each had one on their wrists. "Good, I'll call you when the ship is ready. Do not hesitate to contact anyone should the need arise. Dismissed." Vlad then began to walk away.

"Hey, do you wanna try to gab that gold?"

"I don't know. That guy had such a commanding presence. He even sounded like a marine captain or something. Maybe he's a turncoat. He must be tough."

"Whatever. He's alone. Besides, look." The one bounty hunter looked to see that their partners were following Vlad. "If we don't get that cash, they will!"

The bounty hunter thought for a bit. "We might be able to steal at least a little bit while they kill him."

"Good thinking. Let's go." The bounty hunters then began to follow the crowd.

* * *

Vlad walked into the forest, where he knew no civilians would be nearby. He stopped when he saw some idiots with wide grins walk out from behind some trees in front of him. Then, more walked out from the trees all around him. Vlad was surrounded, but unsurprisingly, he didn't look intimidated at all. If anything, he looked a bit bored.

"We'll be taking that gold, pretty boy."

Vlad looked forward with a bored expression, closed his eyes, and just kept walking.

"Hey! You deaf, pretty boy?!" Vlad didn't respond. "You sonofa-!" The man yelling lifted a sword and charged at Vlad.

Vlad lazily opened one eye, and readied his hand to rip the fool's heart out. Instead, the man was slashed across the chest hard enough to make him float. As he screamed with his chest gushing blood from an ice-covered wound, he was sent flying by a kick, disappearing from the forest.

"You didn't need to do that, Hoarfen."

"Eh, I kinda did. I've got impulses."

"You know I sent Owlman ahead to find an island for us to indulge in those when we reach the New World, right?"

"Like I can wait that long. Let's just slaughter this scum for now."

Vlad sighed. "Alright."

With that, and both of their eyes glowing, Vlad and Hoarfen proceeded to tear the bounty hunters to shreds, literally. Limbs were sent flying. Blood splattered everywhere. Screams of pain, anguish and horror echoed throughout the forest.

Throughout the entire nightmarish ordeal, the two bounty hunters watched in horror, one of them looking like they were about to vomit. In a matter of minutes, the two **demons** were standing over bloody slabs of meat. There was nearly no way to identify who the men they killed were. Then, the bounty hunters actually wet themselves when they saw the inhuman creatures look at them with their unholy, glowing eyes. Screaming in terror, they both ran for their lives.

"Should we kill them," Hoarfen asked.

"Let them go. There's no point in wasting our time to kill such worthless cowards. Anyway, I'm heading towards the town. There should be a coating expert somewhere in that area. Care to join?"

"Nah. I'll just have my lunch while it's still fresh, then probably look for Jack or Paul. Those two usually look for some interesting stuff. I'll just met you at the ship."

"Fair enough. Enjoy your meal." With one last wave, Vlad walked away, disappearing into the forest.

"Keh, like he needs to tell me that." Hoarfen then turned towards the spilled body parts, and walked over towards them while entering his hybrid form. "Thanks for the food." Hoarfen then began to eat, the sound of squishing meat and breaking bones echoing throughout the forest.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the town square, the citizens were looking in terror towards a certain direction. Down the street came an ugly fat man sitting on the back of a crying man. That tub of lard was a Celestial Dragon. When the people saw him, they all grovelled, hoping to spare their lives.

"Ho-hah. This island has become even more filthy. Ever since the Roswald Family was harmed in this area, the atmosphere became even more putrid. To think these maggots allowed a godly being like a Celestial Dragon get harmed! Revolting! Ho-hah!"

"It is indeed disgusting. It is only through the graces of the Celestial Dragons that they are allowed to live," said the Celestial Dragons attendant.

"Ho-hah. Hm?" The Celestial Dragon saw a doctor and a nurse carrying a wounded man... the same man Hoarfen slashed and sent flying with a kick. "Oi! You guys, wait!" The doctor and nurse stopped in fear. "Why are you moving while in my presence? You should be groveling like the lowly humans you are," the fat man said as he got off the slave and walked over towards the two.

"P-please forgive us," the doctor begged. "I beg of you, let this slide. This man is bleeding terribly. I originally thought he was caught in a fight, but it seems as if he was attacked by some unknown beast. Please, the hospital is right there."

"Hm?" The Celestial Dragon looked down at Hoarfen's victim. "Ho-hah. Indeed. This is quite a horrid wound. I suppose I should," the Celestial Dragon raised his leg and kicked the stretcher. "Put him out of his misery!"

The doctor looked at the bleeding man in horror, and knelt down to try and help him. "Please, stop!"

"Oh, no," the nurse said as she also knelt down.

"Ho-hah, is that lowly citizen more important than my well deserved respect?"

The injured man coughed. "M...on...st..er."

"Huh? What do you say, worm," the Celestial Dragon asked as he reached for his jacket.

"A... monster. . . . A monster is on this island. Blue. So blue. So cold."

"Hah? What nonsense are you speaking?"

"So cold. So cold. SO COLD! SO COLD! A MONSTER OF ICE IS ON THIS ISLAND! IT ISN'T HUMAN! IT ISN'T HUMAN! A BLUE MONSTER OF ICE IS ON THIS ISLAND!"

"Please, your grace! This man is delirious! The loss of blood is driving him mad! Let us treat him," the doctor begged.

The Celestial Dragon was getting annoyed. It got worse when he heard screaming. He looked towards the forest to see two men with soiled pants running for their lives. "Ho-hah?! What impropriety is this?! More humans dare run in my presence?!"

One of the guys fell, and the other tried to help him up. "Hurry up, you idiot! We have to tell the boss! We need to get the fuck off this island!"

"That couldn't have been real, man! Those... those... THINGS! They weren't human! No man can do that!"

"Just shut up and run!"

"Excuse me." The two terrified men looked at the Celestial Dragon's attendant, who was holding a gun. "Do you not realize that you are in the presence of a Celestial Dragon? You should show more respe-"

"WHO GIVES A FUCK!" That one shout from the man shocked everyone, none more than the Celestial Dragon himself. "IF YOU'RE GONNA SHOOT ME, DO IT ALREADY! YOU'D BE SAVING ME! HURRY UP, DAMMIT!"

"STOP WASTING TIME, JACKASS! ONE OF THOSE THINGS WILL BE HERE ANY SECOND!" With that, the two men ran like hell, as if they were being chased by the Devil himself, and in a way, they technically were.

The Celestial Dragon was shaking in rage. "HO-HAH! HOW DARE THEY?! I AM SO ENRAGED! HOW DARE MERE HUMANS NOT RESPECT ME?! WHAT COULD BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN MY GLORIOUS PRESENCE?!"

"They are fools, Celestial Dragon. They do not understand that it is only through your mercy that they may live."

"Ho-hah. That is too true. Hm?" The Celestial Dragon noticed the lovely nurse helping with the patient. He then walked over to her, and examined her, making her nervous and shake in fear. "Hm, alright. In order to appease me, I shall make you my wife." The woman's eyes widened in shock.

"Then I shall start the paperwork to bring her to the Holy Land as Lady Fifteen."

"Oh, I am tired of wife one to seven. You may return them to the lower class."

"Understood."

"Please wait! I-"

"Wait, you people," a young man said while running towards them. "She's my fiance!" He was then shot by the Celestial Dragon in the stomach. While gripping his bleeding stomach, he fell to the ground. "Maria."

"NO! YOU MURDERER! HOW COULD YOU?! PLEASE, SOMEONE! PLEASE HELP HIM!"

"What is this? Do you have some complaint about me?"

"Please! Let me go!"

"Take her to the port."

"Very good, sir."

"No!"

"Oh, my." All activity stopped. Everyone looked to see an incredibly handsome, dark-skinned man standing over the young man. That man... was Vlad. He gently turned the man over to his back. "This is unfortunate. He still has quite a bit of life to look forward to." Vlad pulled up the man's shirt. "Hm... yes. This is simple to remedy."

"Eh? Can you save him," Maria asked, actually stopping her struggle.

"Of course I can, especially since I've decided this young man should live." Vlad then knelt down and bit the palm of his hand. He placed the bloody palm over the young man's wound, and used his powers to take out the bullet and manipulate the man's own blood to heal him. In a matter of second, the man was gasping for air and coughing from the revival.

"Johan!" Maria was actually able to break out of the hold of the two guards of the Celestial Dragon and past the attendant. She hugged her fiance, tears flowing like a waterfall, overjoyed that he was alive. "Johan! I'm so glad! You're alive!"

Johan hugged his fiance. "Maria. I'm sorry I scared you."

"Boy." Johan looked up and saw Vlad. His face was shadowed, but Johan felt like he was in the presence of someone incredible. "Do not waste the life I gave you. I am not a generous man. This is the first and last time I will save you. Guard you life well, for it does not belong to you alone. It belongs to her as well," Vlad said as he pointed at the still sobbing Maria.

"Y-Yes. I understand." Johan looked at Vlad with awe. "Are you... a god?"

Vlad immediately laughed at that. "A god? No. Never. I am something much... darker." Vlad then knelt down and looked Johan in the eyes. He saw the shock and fear in Johan's blue eyes when Vlad showed him his crimson eyes. "I am a devil. A being that all should fear, including fools who would dare call themselves a god, when there is only one true being deserving of that title. However, know that your life was saved... by the Bloody Devil."

"Bloody... Devil?"

Vlad just smirked as he got up and walked towards the injured man. When Vlad's shadow was over the man, he opened his eyes to see something that made his labored breathes quicken. "I-It's you. You were with that monster."

"Is that what you think Hoarfen is? Oh, he's more than just a mere monster. Still, that isn't important right now. What is is the fact that you somehow survived his slash." Vlad examined the man's wounds. "Ah, so that's why. The wound was too shallow. Hoarfen must have miscalculated the timing of his swing. That isn't like him. His impatience must be affecting him. Well, I can't let this continue." Vlad then placed his hand over the man's chest and healed his deadly wound in a matter of seconds, which shocked the doctor and everyone around him.

The thug coughed before getting back up to look at Vlad in surprise. "Why did you... save me?"

"Save you," Vlad asked with a chuckle. "I've damned you."

"What?"

"It's only a matter of time before Hoarfen senses you. Once he finds out he has failed to kill you, he'll hunt you down and tear you to pieces, literally. And he'll enjoy doing it." The man looked at Vlad in fear, knowing he was telling the truth. "So, I suggest you get off this island as fast as possible if you want to live." The bandit looked at Vlad in fear. "Well, what are you waiting for? Do you want to be killed by Hoarfen?" When the man didn't move, Vlad knelt down and looked into the bandit's eyes while his own crimson eyes were glowing demonically. "Run."

With that, the man got up and started to run while screaming in terror. He even pushed the Celestial Dragon out of his way, the most shocking act yet.

Vlad laughed at the sight as he stood back up. "Ah, I'll never get tired of doing that. Weaklings are so easy to terrorize."

"How dare you?"

"Hm?" Vlad looked to see the Celestial Dragon pointing a gun at him.

"Do you know who I am, lowly human?"

Vlad was silent for a bit. "A hideous tub of lard?"

The Celestial Dragon's eyes widened. Then, he shot Vlad three times. A bullet in the heart, one in his right shoulder, and the final one in his head. His head was pushed back and Vlad was still standing. Seeing Vlad get shot made everyone scream. The Celestial Dragon smiled, overjoyed to have killed the rude peasant.

"Ow." The Celestial Dragon's smile was quickly replaced by a look of shock. It got worse when Vlad moved his head down, his eyes glowing, with a small trickle of blood running down his face. "No matter how many times I'm shot, it's still uncomfortably painful. An annoying prick." Everyone watched in amazement as the blood returned to Vlad's body, and the blood from Vlad's wounds began to move something to the palm of his hand. When the blood had reached it's destination, Vlad stretched out his hand and dropped something. It was the three bullets.

"I-Impossible! What kind of Devil Fruit other than a Logia could make someone exempt from my holy bullets?!"

"Oh, so you pigs actually know about the Devil Fruits. And here I thought Celestial Dragons only knew how to eat, sleep, and shit. To answer your question, you hideous boar, I ate the Blood-Blood Fruit. I'm a blood man."

"B-Blood?" The Celestial Dragon then finally realized something that replaced his fear with rage. "How DARE you call a holy being a hideous boar?!" The Celestial Dragon then emptied his gun and reloaded it with different looking bullets. Vlad immediately knew they were Sea Prism bullets. "I'll kill you for insulting a g-" The Celestial Dragon was interrupted by a squelching sound, followed by the sound of spilling water. He looked down to see... that Vlad had impaled him with his bare hand.

"Be quiet." The Celestial Dragon, as well as everyone else, looked up at Vlad in absolute shock. "You have no real power. You're just another 'sacrifice'."

The Celestial Dragon looked at Vlad in astonishment before he started to snarl. "HOW DARE YOU?!" He pointed his gun right at Vlad's head. "HOW DARE YOU SPILL MY HOLY BLOOD?! HOW DARE YOU SO MUCH AS TOUCH ME WITH YOUR FILTHY HANDS! YOU TOUCHED THE BLOOD OF TWO LOWLY HUMANS! YOU'VE CONTAMINATED ME! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL SHOOT YOU DEAD AND HAVE YOUR BODY STUFFED AS A TROPHY! I WILL-"

"Shut up and die. Bloody Urchin." When Vlad said that, the Celestial Dragon had spikes shoot out throughout his entire body. It was impossible to recognize him. He didn't look like a Celestial Dragon at all. He didn't even look human. He just looked like a giant red sea urchin.

Vlad removed his hand and clapped them clean. "Much better."

"D-Do you realize what you've done?" Vlad looked to see the shocked attendant. "You've murdered a holy ancestor of the founders of this world!"

Without hesitation, Vlad formed a pistol with his blood and shot the attendant in the head, killing him instantly. "Don't you ever... call those pigs the founders of this world. They don't deserve such a title." Vlad then looked up towards the sunny sky. "Only one may be called the founder of this world. And it is not these pathetic humans pretending to be gods."

The people were astonished. This man was both ruthless and fearless. He killed both a Celestial Dragon and his attendant with no hesitation or fear. It was as if he thought they couldn't touch him. With power like his, they wouldn't be surprised if they couldn't. What's more, with both the attendant and the Dragon dead, there's no one to report the fact that he attacked a resident of the Holy Land, and no one would report him. If anything, they would praise him for riding the world of such evil.

"Now then, time to find a coating expert." Vlad then started to walk away when he said that, the people watching him go in awe. "I wonder how the others are doing?"

* * *

The bandit ran as fast as he could, looking around the port for his ship. He didn't care if he would abandon his friends. They were probably dead anyway. They tried to help him capture Vlad, and nothing about that plan went well. He just kept running and searching, not paying attention to his surrounding at all.

As he searched, he ran into someone. "DAMN YOU! WATCH WERE YOU'RE GO-" The bandit's eyes widened in horror when he saw who he ran into.

"Huh? Didn't I kill you," Hoarfen asked. "Oh, whatever." Hoarfen then turned his fingernails into claws, and tore the man to pieces. The man was dead in an instant. "Can't let my prey live, now can I. Nothing I slash should ever stand up again. I have a reputation to keep."

"Hey, mutt." Hoarfen looked over at Tanya in aggravation. "Make yourself useful for once and help me carry this food." There was tons of meat, fruits, and vegetables behind Tanya, who used the gold Vlad gave her to buy it.

"Tch. Why the hell did I have to run into you of all people? I was looking for Jack or Paul."

"Stop complaining and grab the food." She grabbed one of the large bags of food and lifted it like it was nothing, something that surprised the merchant and everyone around the two pirates. Everyone thought she was just a pretty face, but she's showing to be as strong as she is beautiful.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." Hoarfen easily lifted the other two bags like they were nothing. Many of the men around him felt inadequate when they saw that. Hoarfen was a slim man, and many of the men around the pirates were big and burly. Still, many of them knew they would struggle to lift just one of those bags, yet the blue-haired pretty boy made it look as easy as lifting a balloon.

Hoarfen groaned. "Why do I have to do something as lame as help you out, pussy?"

"Do you ever stop bitching? Oh, wait, you can't. You're a bitch."

"I will fucking skin you, pussy."

"Bring it, bitch."

"Now, now, lovelies." The two looked to see Jack walking up to them.

"Oh, Jack. Have anything interesting to share," Hoarfen asked with a hopeful tone.

Jack released a depressed sigh. "Alas, I do not, Hoarffy. This island is devoid of artistic potential. Nothing around this drab little island stirs the artist within me. It is... dull."

Hoarfen got depressed. "Seriously? Oh! What about Paul? Is he doing anything fun?"

"I'm afraid not, Hoarffy. He's gathering materials on this island necessary to rebuild his beloved hammer."

"Huh? He's making his own hammer?"

"That is correct, Hoarffy. His last hammer was destroyed by the traitors that caused his downfall. What a shame. That hammer of his was a work of art. He once swung the hammer hard enough to shatter the air around him. You would almost believe he ate the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. It was practically unbreakable, even without the use of armament haki. A magnificent weapon worthy of legend."

"If it was so awesome, how did it get broken?"

Jack sighed. "It was immune to physical damage... but not to intense heat."

"So it was melted. By who?"

"A young recruit... who happens to be an Admiral now."

Hoarfen knew who Jack meant. Akainu always has been a pain in the ass for all pirates. Hoarfen made a bet that Paul especially hated the guy, since he destroyed his most prized weapon and got him thrown into Impel Down.

"Less talking, more carrying. We need to get this food to the ship," Tanya ordered.

"Ah, keep your fur on, ya annoying sour pussy."

"Why you flea bitten- When we get to the ship, I'll shred you to pieces."

"Bring it on."

Jack chuckled. _"Those two get along far too well. Phemmy should be close to collecting all the_ _materials he needs for him hammer."_

As Jack followed his crew mates, he noticed someone. It was a man taller than Vlad, but shorter than Paul. He was a handsome gentleman, with a smooth handlebar mustache, neat hair, and a monocle. He was a lean looking man, had four pistols strapped on his chest, a sniper on his back, and a saber strapped to his left side. A man-at-arms. A man-of-war.

"A piece of art... in the making," Jack said to himself, analyzing the man, ideas of how to 'perfect' the man just flooding his mind.

"Oi, Jack!" The doctor looked to see an impatient Hoarfen. "Stop spacing out! We need to get this crap to the ship so the pussy cat can make herself useful for once."

"I will fucking cook you!"

"Come on! I don't wanna keep Vlad waiting if he's there with the coating guy."

"On my way, Hoarffy!" Taking one last look at the man, Jack ran to his crew mates. _"Hm, this reminds me, I do hope Meddy is not having any trouble with her shopping."_

* * *

The beautiful guitarist was walking down the street looking for a music store... either unaware or uncaring of all the looks she was getting.

"She's so beautiful," a woman said.

"A once-in-a-lifetime beauty," a man said.

"Her skin is so dark. She looks so exotic," another man said.

"Mama, who's that pretty lady? Is she a princess," a little girl asked. Medusa actually heard that, and lightly giggled. The way she did it made many people blush because of how elegantly beautiful she did it.

Eventually, she found the store. "Hm? Ah, welcome. Nice looking guitar you have there."

Medusa smiled as she looked at the guitar strapped to her back. Though she walked throughout the entire island with it, not one person made a comment on it. "Thank you. I'm quite proud of it. Though, the strings are getting a bit worn."

"Ah, left wall at the end. Bottom shelf."

"Thank you." Medusa went over and grabbed a few boxes of strings. She walked over to the counter and bought the strings.

"Thanks for your business."

"Mhm. Oh, do you mind if I switch the strings on your counter?"

"Sure. No problem."

"Thank you." Medusa did just that, loosing her old strings, taking them out, and replacing them with the new ones.

"Wow. That was fast. Must have been playing that guy for a while, huh?"

"Indeed. Now, let's test the strings." She strummed the strings and started to tune them to her liking. That should do it." She then began to play a song.

"Hey, that song. Wasn't that made by some artist who calls himself Bleach?"

"It was. I believed he called it Going Home," Medusa said as she continued to play the song. "It's one of my favorites to play."

"It really is a lovely song." Medusa, while still playing, looked behind her to see a beautiful woman who looked to be in her twenties. She had red hair that was styled in a way that covered her right eye. Her skin was tan, but not as dark as Medusa's. She had a slim and athletic body. She was quite the sight.

"You're quite skilled with the guitar, miss."

"Thank you."

"Could I make a request?"

"Hm? I suppose."

"Do you know any music from Dressrosa?"

"Ah, the famous New World island." Without giving a clear answer, Medusa immediately started to play a song one could easily dance to.

In fact, the woman did. Medusa was impressed. The woman kept up a perfect rhythm in dance with Medusa's guitar. The woman's moves were almost artistic. Even the shop keep was mesmerized. He wasn't the only one, either. Outside his store, many people came at first to listen to the lovely music, only to be greeted by a breath-taking show.

The melody of the guitar and the grace of the dance was a magical sight. You would even pay to watch it. When Medusa played the finishing note, the woman was able to stop at the perfect moment, almost as if the two had been rehearsing. When the music and the dancing stopped, the crowd clapped, cheered, and whistled in admiration of the two artistic beauties.

"I must say, you are a gifted dancer."

"As you are a gifted guitarist."

Medusa smiled. "I suppose we have gotten to know each other enough to give our names. I am Medusa. It is a pleasure to meet you," Medusa said with an elegant courtesy that made her appear like a noble woman.

The woman did an equally elegant courtesy. "The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Medusa. I am Gypsy."

"Gypsy. A lovely name. I will be sure to remember it."

"Medusa."

"Hm? Oh, Paul. Are you finished shopping already?"

"I have all the material I need. I saw Hoarfen and Tanya carrying three bags, with Jack following them. Safe to say that they're done. Looks and sounds like you're done, too."

"Oh, so you were listening."

"Yeah. You've still got it. Now, let's go. I know Vlad isn't the impatient type, but I don't wanna keep him waiting."

"Agreed. Keeping our captain waiting is very rude. It seems we must part ways, Ms. Gypsy."

"So it seems. I hope we meet each other once more."

"As do I. Maybe in Dressrosa."

"That would be nice."

"It would. Good-bye, Ms. Gypsy. May we meet again soon." With that, Medusa walked away with Paul.

Gypsy watched as the two walked away with a smile on her face. "Gypsy."

The beauty looked behind her. "Oh, Flynt."

It was the handsome gentleman that Jack saw. "I have completed my task, but I cannot seem to find the captain. Do you have an inkling as to where he might be?"

"Hm, knowing him, he's probably flirting with some girls."

"I suppose that is a fair assessment. Hawk might be with him as well."

"Well, let's go find him. I personally want to get to Fishman Island as soon as possible. I want to see Briggs again as soon as possible."

"Yes, it would be nice for the whole crew to be back together." With that, Gypsy and Flynt went off to look for their last two crew mates.

* * *

"Come on, beautiful. I'll be sure to show you a good time," said a tall and fairly handsome man to two blushing women, who were actually covered by his shadow. He was a fair-skinned man with long, flowing, white hair. He also had a bit of a goatee. He wore a long blue jacket, but no shirt, showing off his well-toned abs. He had a wild look to his face. Made him look ruggedly handsome. To add to his wild charm, his canines looked sharp enough to be fangs. He was a beast of a man.

"What do you say? If you're worried about that cute friend of yours, my boy over here can keep her some company," the man said as he pointed a thumb to the man behind him.

"Come on, Snart. Don't drag me into this," said the man. He was a purple haired man who wore a checkered bandanna that went low enough to make his eyes look as thin and slit-like as a snake's. He was a pretty scary and intimidating looking man, but those strange objects hanging from the back of his head made he seem just a bit less scary.

"Aw, don't be like that, Hawk. I'm giving you a cute girl. Why wouldn't you want me to drag you into this?" Hawk sighed at Snart's comment. "Now, where were we," Snart asked as he lifted the blushing girl's chin to have her look into his blue eyes, mesmerizing her.

"There you are."

"Hm? Oh, Gypsy, Flynt, what's up?"

"Apologies, Mr. Snart, but I believe we are ready to depart."

"Aw, come on, Flynt. Just a few more hours? I found a seriously cute girl."

"Snart, it's rude to keep Briggs waiting."

"I'm sure he'll understand, Gypsy. Now then, How about it, honey? You wanna spend some time with-"

"BOSS!"

Snart grew a tick mark. "Goddammit." He looked to see the two bounty hunters run towards him like bats out of hell before tripping and falling at his feet. "What do you idiots want?"

"BOSS! PLEASE! WE NEED TO GET THE HELL OFF THIS ISLAND!"

"THERE ARE DEMONS ON THIS ISLAND!"

"Yeah. You're looking at one. Now go away before I gut you idiots."

"BOSS, PLEASE!"

"THOSE THINGS COULD APPEAR ANY MOMENT!"

"THE RED DEMON!"

"AND THE BLUE DEMON!"

"Would you idiots stop screaming already? You're scaring the girls."

"W-We should go."

"Y-Yeah."

"Wait, hah?!" The girls started to walk away, with Snart reaching out to them, anime tears flowing down his face before they turned angry as he glared at the idiots that scared them off. "Look what you morons did!"

When Snart looked at them, he realized they were crying. "Please, boss, we need to get the hell out of here."

"They're kill us."

"Would you bitches stop crying? And you call yourselves men."

"Please, this place is practically cursed."

"Oh, suck it up. Just get some of the other guys to help you kill this guy."

"We can't." Snart raised an eyebrow at the man's response.

"They're dead."

That caught Snart's attention. "What?"

"The demons... they slaughtered them all."

Snart was silent for a bit. "Where?"

After a hell of a lot of convincing, the bounty hunters finally led Snart and his group to the massacre sight.

"My word," said a shocked Flynt.

"This... this is awful," Gypsy said as she covered her mouth in horror.

"There's no way in hell two men did this," Hawk said.

"They weren't men."

"They were demons. We kept telling you."

Snart ignored his men, and started to sniff. "I've got their scent." Everyone looked at him. "One of them is near the ocean... and another is heading towards the other. They must be preparing to set sail. Let's pay them a visit."

"YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS, BOSS!"

"THEY'LL KILL US!"

"SHUT UP!" Snart's roar terrified the two cowards. "Don't you know who I am? I'm the CEO of the future Omega Corps, the organization that will be known as the most powerful pirate mob in history. We'll be so strong, that we'll make the Baroque Works that Crocodile bastard kept bragging about look like a scout group. Besides, whoever these guys are, they robbed me of some perfectly good employees. No way in hell am I gonna just let that slide. Let's go!"

"Sir," everyone except for the bandits yelled.

* * *

"Alright, Shep, here's the supplies. You, Hawk, and Mino take it down to the cargo hold," Hoarfen ordered.

"Understood, sir," a German Shepherd Chimera responded with a salute. He, the Crow Chimera, and a Minotaur grabbed the bags of food and materials and carried it to storage.

"Okay, so now all we have to do is wait for Vlad to show up with the coating guy," Hoarfen said.

"Well, hopefully you won't have to wait long."

Hoarfen looked over the rails to see Vlad with some men. "Damn, you're fast. So those are the coating experts, huh?"

"Yeah. The boss here told me he should be about an hour or so."

"Eh? That long," Hoarfen asked in a bored tone.

"Sorry, youngin, but this a delicate procedure. One screw up'll end with you and yer ship bein' crushed by the water pressure before yer anywhere near Fishman Island," the head coater said with a heavy accent.

"Tch, whatever," Hoarfen said as he jumped off the ship.

After hearing the explanation, the other top members of the crew got off of the deck as well. The Chimeras were staying in the hold by orders of Vlad and the rest of the crew, making sure to not be noticed by anyone.

Vlad and the crew watched as the coaters did their job.

"Yeah, I don't feel like watching them do this crap for an hour," Hoarfen said.

"Do we even have anything better to do," Tanya asked.

"Maybe we can keep you company," a voice yelled. The crew looked behind them to see another crew walk towards them with a silver haired man leading them. The man pointed at Vlad. "You, the red-eyed pretty boy!"

"Hm?"

"And you, the ice sculpture!"

"Ice sculpture?"

"I heard you sent my boys to hell."

"Those pathetic bounty hunters were yours," Vlad asked.

"You should pick 'em better, pal. They're meat was so weak, that I actually had to leave some scrap behind. It was bad enough to make me waste food!"

The crew shivered in disgust. "So, those truly were bite marks. And now we know why some of the corpses were so devoid of flesh and muscle," Flynt stated.

"You ate my men? That's sick," Snart said with a snarl.

"You're telling me. Those guys were so stringy that I think I still have bits of muscle stuck in my teeth. Gross."

Snart glared at Hoarfen. "Only a real monster like you would be the big boss."

"Nah. Not me." Snart's crew was shocked to know that the monster in front of them wasn't the leader. "This guy's the leader." Hoarfen pointed his thumb at Vlad.

Snart glared at him. "You actually let a freak like that work for you?"

"I don't see why not."

Snart's glare hardened. "I'll show you why not." Snart then began to transform. His hybrid form was a bit taller than his base form, and it was easy to tell what kind of creature he was.

Hoarfen's eyes widened, while Vlad just hummed in a dismissive tone. "A snow leopard."

"That's right, red eye. I ate the Cat-Cat Fruit, Model: Snow Leopard. I'm gonna use these claws to tear you to the bone, and smash those into dust."

"Are you? Well then, come at me, boy," Vlad said as he began to extend his arm.

However, before he fully raised his arm, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked to see that it was Hoarfen, his eyes shadowed. "Vlad, let me deal with this guy."

Vlad looked at his First Mate for a bit and lowered his arm. "Very well." With that, Hoarfen walked forward.

"Hah?! Is this a joke?! The leaders should be fighting each other! Not the Number One vs. the Number Two," Snart roared.

"Shut up. A piece of shit like you isn't worth Vlad's time."

Snart grew a tick mark. "That right? I don't think you know who you're dealing with, Ice Sculpture. I was once feared as Snart the Frost Beast! However, the Government erased my existence after they caught me... and stuck me in Level Six of Impel Down."

"Oh," Hoarfen said in an uninterested tone.

"We are all Impel Down escapees," Flynt explained. "However, Sir Snart is the only one of us who was powerful enough to be considered a Level Six threat. I myself was Level Five, while the lovely Gypsy was a Level Four, along side Sir Hawk. Without a doubt, Sir Snart is the most powerful among us."

"That right," Hoarfen asked.

"Yeah," Snart answered. "And my powers aren't the only thing that makes me feared by the Government. They wanted me gone because I was able to figure out one of their Six Powers techniques." Hoarfen remained silent and uninterested, his eyes still hidden by shadow. "Let me show ya. Shave!" Snart vanished.

He was running around Hoarfen at blinding speeds, analyzing him. Hoarfen had no openings for Snart to take advantage of, except for two: his left arm and a small spot on his back. Snart smiled at the information. He planned on slashing Hoarfen's arm off, stab his back, then finally slash his head off when his defense is at it's lowest. Smiling at his own plan, Snart appeared before Hoarfen, and dashed towards the still pirate.

Time seemed to slow down for Snart, just because he wanted to savor the moment. His instincts were at a level where times seemed to move at a crawl if he concentrates enough. With a shit-eating smile, Snart readied a clawed hand to cut off Hoarfen's arm. He was about to begin his plan and kill the ice sculpture.

Then, something happened.

Snart felt a horrible amount of pressure in his stomach. He was struck by something. It was hard enough to make him buckle over in pain and even vomit. He took some steps back, groaning in pain while holding his stomach. He slowly looked up to see what had happened. He was struck... by Hoarfen's left fist.

Shocked, Snart looked up, and saw the coldest blue eyes. They were devoid of any emotion, except for one: contempt. It was almost as if the eyes were looking at something less than garbage. Less than scum. Less than the shit buried beneath it. They were the coldest, cruelest, most hate-filled eyes Snart had ever seen.

"Pathetic. Is this the best you can do? You couldn't hurt Vlad if he had a damned cold while drunk and asleep."

"Oddly specific," Vlad commented.

Snart just glared at Hoarfen, anger boiling within him while being forced to literally look up at the powerful pirate. With a bellowing roar, Snart charged at Hoarfen with his claws at the ready. However, instead of slashing Hoarfen's throat off, Snart felt a powerful uppercut smash his jaw into an under-bite. It was powerful enough to make him float.

While still in the air, Snart felt his ankle being grabbed, and was then slammed face first into the ground. He was smashed hard enough to bounce a bit, only for the force of the attack to smash him into a crater.

* * *

"SIR SNART," Flynt yelled in shock before he took out one of his pistols and fired at the back of Hoarfen's head.

The bullet never reached it's target. It was blocked by a knife. "Now, now, young man," Jack said as he twirled the knife he used to deflect the bullet. "You shouldn't get involved with another man's fight. Not very sporting, don't you agree?"

Flynt looked at Jack with an intense anger before quickly looking at Snart in worry. It was at just the right moment to see Hoarfen kick Snart onto his back and then stomp on Snart's arm hard enough to break the bones and create a crater. The sound of bones breaking and Snart screaming in agony was almost deafening.

"NO," Flynt yelled as he tried to run towards his captain, only to be pushed back when Jack slashed the strap holding his guns off. Flynt touched his chest to feel a warm liquid. He looked at his blood covered hand and looked up at the smiling, demonic looking doctor.

"You won't be getting involved, son." Flynt glared at Jack before looking down at his guns on the ground, trying to calculate how fast he would need to be to get at least one of them to shoot this... demon.

"It's no use, boy." Flynt looked up at Jack, who was still twirling a knife. "I'm sure we've already established that those guns have no use against me." Flynt glared at Jack, but he was also sweating out of nervousness. He knew Jack was right. The bastard proved it once already. His pistols were no use, so he needed to upgrade. With that thought, he took his rifle off of his back.

"Ooh, what a lovely toy."

Flynt ignored the comment and aimed his rifle. Within a second, he pulled the trigger. The bullet was mere centimeters away from Jack's eye in a millisecond. Flynt's highly developed senses allowed him to see this. Like Snart himself, it was like he could slow down time itself with his mind in order to not only take the perfect shot, but witness it as well. However, he saw something shocking.

Jack used his knife to redirect the bullet before it reached his eye. He even did it with a smile. Flynt was understandably shocked, his rifle shaking in his hands. "T-That's impossible. What are you?"

Jack's eyes were shadowed, but his smile was still visible. It was even... growing. "An artist. And you... are a very handsome man." Flynt was cowering, his mind screaming for him to run, but his legs completely paralyzed. "But..." Jack then looked up, two glowing white orbs in his shadowed face looking straight at Flynt, terrifying the man. He felt like he was staring into the eyes of a soulless abomination. "I can make you... beautiful."

Then, Jack disappeared.

Flynt looked around frantically, trying to use at least a tiny bit of observation haki to find the creature. Then, he felt a sharp pain in his left leg and fell to his face. He groaned as he struggled to look at why his leg hurt so much. What he saw made his eyes widen in horror. He screamed in anguish and terror when he saw that his leg had been cut off by the bottom of his knee.

"Ah, a work of art." Flynt look up behind him to see Jack, his soulless eyes still glowing, while holding Flynt's severed leg. "Now... how shall I..." Jack extended his arm, holding Flynt's leg and squeezed it until it popped right before Flynt's horrified eyes. "Complete you?" Jack then started to walk towards the terrified man, who was crawling away desperately, leaving a bloody trail as he did.

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HIM, YOU FREAK!"

"Hm?"

Jack looked to see the man known as Hawk charging towards him while spinning a chain-sickle. When he thought he was close enough, Hawk jumped into the air, and was prepared to fling his weapon at Jack's head. However, he was interrupted when Tanya appeared out of nowhere and kicked him to the ground.

The beautiful cook landed elegantly on the ground in front of her crew mate. "You alright, Jack?"

"Oh, just fine, Tanny. In fact, I would say I'm satisfied. I will return to the ship, for now."

"Not gonna finish him off?"

Jack looked at Flynt, his eyes going back to their original, blue hue. "Hm, no. I don't believe now is the time to make him into art. Good day to you." With a last bow, Jack disappeared.

"Hm. That settles that."

"You bitch." Tanya looked to see Hawk struggling to get back up to his feet, panting in exhaustion from the excessive amount of damage. "You'll pay for this. You and those bastard friends of yours! I'll kill you all!"

"Hm. Is that right? Well then, come on, boy."

With that, Hawk quickly shot out his arm and pointed his palm at Tanya. "Still!" A sort of reverberation was heard, and Tanya didn't move a muscle. "I ate the Still-Still Fruit. Anything I aim at will be completely frozen, as still as a pillar. Nothing can escape my hold," Hawk explained as he walked closer to Tanya until he was just a foot away form the beauty. He raised his chain-sickle above his head, glaring at Tanya. "Now die." He then swung his weapon.

However, the blade phased right through her. Hawk was shocked. "W-WHAT?!"

"Wow, so even afterimages are affected by your power." Hawk looked behind him to see Tanya standing there. "That's pretty cool." She then stabbed him in his side with her claws then quickly ripped them out of him.

With a now bloody side, Hawk fell to his knees, shock and pain evident on his face. He was then kicked in the side of his head, falling to the ground with a pounding head that felt like it would split open at the touch of so much as a feather, and a heavily bleeding wound.

* * *

Gypsy was astonished. "How is this possible? My crew is being defeated so easily."

"I do not understand why you are so surprised." Gypsy looked to see Medusa walk up to her. "You're crew was no match for ours. Not even close. You should have realized that with the power of observation haki, Ms. Gypsy."

Gypsy looked in shock at Medusa, before she calmed down. "I did want to meet you again, Ms. Medusa, but not under circumstances such as these."

Medusa sighed. "Yes. This is a very... regrettable reunion."

"It is..." Gypsy then got into a stance. "But it is at it should be."

Medusa looked surprised a bit, before she giggled in a cute way. "You are not planning on dueling me, are you, young lady?"

"I apologize, Ms. Medusa, but I have no intention of just surrendering. Also, your crew needs to suffer at least a tiny bit for what they have done to my comrades." She then began to... dance.

Medusa raised an eyebrow before she laughed. "What are you doing?" Medusa then heard music. Her music. The same music she played for Gypsy. "What?" She then looked around, only to see that she was in the middle of a party, with many people dancing to the music.

She was then gently grabbed by the hand, and lead by a handsome man into the middle of the crowd. He danced in front of her and Medusa couldn't help but join in on the fun.

All the while, Gypsy was also dancing in the crowd while watching Medusa. She smiled at the happy look on Medusa's face. _"Well, Ms. Medusa? How do you like my Dance-Dance Fruit? A hypnosis type Paramecia Fruit. It doesn't matter what type of dance I chose, or if the victim knows the dance or not. The moment they see my movements, their minds are under my command. They will hear the music I have heard and dance the moves I have seen. The more skilled the dancer, the more powerful the fruit's effects will be, and only I can choose when the hypnosis will stop. I can have you dance until you starve to death, or kill you without any resistance from you. As much as I like you, Ms. Medusa, I absolutely detest your crew. For their sins, you will DIE!"_

Gypsy then ran towards Medusa and twirled. She was spinning fast enough to create a small tornado. When she was in range, Gypsy threw a high-kick aimed at Medusa's head. The amount of power she accumulated should rip Medusa's head clean off of her shoulders. Gypsy's leg might as well be a guillotine blade at this point.

However, Gypsy received a shock when her kick was stopped... by Medusa herself. To add insult to injury, the beautiful guitarist was only using one hand. "I-Impossible."

Medusa giggled before she looked back at Gypsy. "Nice try, young lady."

Gypsy felt Medusa release her ankle, giving her the chance to jump away. "This isn't right! You should be hypnotized!"

"Oh, don't worry. I'm very much under your spell. I can still see the people happily dance to my guitar, and I'm not even playing anything."

"THEN HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO BLOCK BY KICK?! HOW ARE YOU NOT DANCING?! AND WHY ISN'T YOUR HAND SO MUCH AS SCRATCHED?! MY KICKS ARE POWERFUL ENOUGH TO SHATTER EVEN STEEL, SO WHY IS YOUR HAND UNDAMAGED?!"

Medusa giggled. "Silly child. Your Devil Fruit isn't the only hypnosis type. In fact, there are hypnotists in the world that don't even relay on the power of a fruit. I have fallen prey to both types of hypnotists. As such, I have had to develop my reflexes and instincts to be able to dodge or deflect any type of attack when my guard is at it's lowest, like when I'm hypnotized for example." Gypsy's eyes widened at the explanation.

"As for my hand," Medusa started as she looked at her hand. "You are indeed strong, but..." Medusa looked up and pointed in a direction. "You're strength is nothing compared to his." Gypsy looked towards where Medusa was pointing and saw Vlad. He was just standing there, his arms crossed, but he still had an aura of immeasurable strength to him.

"Actually, you're not even comparable to a fraction of the strength the man next to my captain has." Gypsy looked next to Vlad and stepped back in astonishment when she saw Paul. The captain was obviously more powerful than the large man, but power and strength were not the same. Though not as dangerous or powerful as the captain, Gypsy was able to sense that the large man was physically stronger than Vlad. Paul could very well be the physically strongest man in the world.

Gypsy stepped back in horror from just looking at the two men. "I'm not ashamed to admit this..." Gypsy jumped in surprise when she heard Medusa's voice, especially since it was right behind her. When she turned to look and see that it really was her, she felt a cold chill run down her spin. Medusa had a terrifying aura to her, one that let Gypsy know she was completely and totally outmatched.

"In terms of power and strength, I'm nowhere near the level of those two. However, I'm willing to bet..." Medusa then extended her hand, and held two fingers near Gypsy's neck. "That I'm just as dangerous as Vlad, maybe even more." When she said that, she jabbed her fingers into Gypsy's neck for at most a second. In that blink of an eye, Gypsy fell to her knees, her eyes completely blank. She was alive, but totally unconscious. Who knows when she would next regain consciousness.

* * *

Snart was then kicked out of the small crater, landing roughly on his shoulder, groaning in pain as he struggled to at least lean on his arms. When he was able to do that, he was able to look up and see something that made him gasp in astonishment. "T-There's no way. My entire crew... beaten? This can't be happening." Snart gritted his teeth as he pulled on the ground. "This can't be happening!"

"Oh, it is, you pathetic cat." Snart didn't look back, but he heard Hoarfen walk towards him.

"No. No! NO! I am a Level Six inmate of Impel Down! My crew is composed of Impel Inmates as high as Level Four and Five!"

"Is that all?" Snart then felt himself being lifted by his coat and was being forced to stare into Hoarfen's cold and cruel eyes. "Let me tell you something: We're ALL Level Six inmates."

Snart's eyes widened in shock. "W-What?"

"The captain, the guitarist, the shipwright, and even that damned pet Vlad calls a cook."

"You fucking mutt."

"Each and every one of us are Impel Down escapees. You and your worthless crew didn't stand a chance. But then again, you're just a worthless, dumbass cat. An idiot like you would probably come back. Let me give you a mark to remind you just how weak you really are." When he said that, Hoarfen grabbed Snart by both shoulders... and bit right into Snart's left shoulder. The enemy captain screamed in anguish as he felt the sharp fangs and powerful jaws dig into his shoulder. Then, he felt the fangs rip out of his shoulder and was promptly smashed onto the ground.

Hoarfen looked down at Snart before spitting out some of his flesh and blood. "What a disgusting flavor." Hoarfen then walked back towards the ship without giving so much as a second glance.

* * *

As Snart lay bleeding on the ground, a shadow loomed over him. He looked to see Tanya, anger evident in her eyes. "How dare you lose to that mutt? You're supposed to be a cat. I can accept you being defeated by anyone else in my crew, except for that flea bitten wolf."

"H-He was a wolf?"

"Yes, which makes it even more insulting by the fact that you couldn't even make him transform. He didn't even try to use his powers!" Snart's eyes widened in shock at what Tanya revealed. "You're a disgrace to cats, just like that worthless weakling Cynthia." Tanya then literally spat on Snart's face before walking towards the ship.

* * *

Snart was laying on the ground, beaten, shoulder bleeding, and spit on his cheek. He struggled to look behind him. He saw Flynt in agony, his leg gushing blood. He saw Hawk gripping his side, trying to stop the bleeding. He saw Gypsy on her knees, eyes totally blank. _"My... crew... beaten."_ He then turned to look towards the backs of the Bloody Pirates, specifically Vlad.

" _That bastard's crew doesn't even have a scratch. No. I won't let this stand."_ He struggled to get back on his feet. _"I'm... Frost Beast Snart. I'm the CEO of the Omega Corps. I'm the man who will lead the greatest crime organization the world will ever see! Crocodile's Baroque Works will have nothing on my Omega Corps! Not even Doflamingo's Family will be a match for us!"_

Snart was now standing, eyes glowing in rage as he glared at the leader of the group who humiliated his Omega Corps. _"I WILL NOT LOSE HERE!"_ Snart then charged at Vlad, claws at the ready. In a mere second, he was right behind the captain of the Bloody Pirates, about to slash his head off.

However, Vlad drop kicked the fool faster than Snart could comprehend. Then, Vlad kicked him in the chin harder than when Hoarfen punched him. Before Snart could be sent flying, Vlad grabbed him by the ankle, and slammed him into the ground face first, creating a crater far lager than the one Hoarfen made. Vlad then threw him out of the crater and jumped out. Vlad walked over towards Snart, he was laying on his front, his breathing labored.

"I thought Hoarfen would have been enough to show you just how outmatched you are. I suppose this is what happens when he holds back."

Snart was shocked to hear that. "W-*cough*What?"

"Hoarfen was barely using so much as a fraction of his full strength. It's more than likely the only reason you're still alive. You were never a match for us. You never will be. No matter what you do, no matter what you accomplish, no matter who you defeat; you will never be a match for us. To us, you're less than trash, less than scum, less than the maggots that feast on the shit you are. You... are... nothing."

Snart was being torn apart by these words. His pride was being completely shattered.

"However, you are far too foolish to remember this. As such, I will give you a constant reminder of your failure. One far more blunt than the scars Hoarfen gave you." When Vlad said that, he ripped off Snart's cloak, exposing his back. Vlad then lifted his hand, showing blood spikes rip through his palm. Then, he slammed his palm onto Snart's back.

Snart grunted from the pain of being stabbed at several spots on his back, but that was nothing compared to what happened next. Snart released a horrible scream of absolute pain and agony. His scream practically echoed throughout the island. He felt like his own blood was burning him. It was horrible. He had never felt such pain or torture before. For what felt like an eternity, the burning hell was over, but Snart still felt the horrible pain. His body was even twitching from the horrible experience.

Vlad stood up and analyzed his own work. Nearly Snart's entire back... was marked with the insignia of the Bloody Pirates. Snart now had a blood red skull with fangs and two crossbones on his back. He was marked with, "The Crimson Curse. Now you know just how insignificant you truly are. Now, and forever more." With that, Vlad walked away.

* * *

The Bloody Pirates smiled at the brutality and evil of their captain. Hoarfen was especially pleased, seeing a cat suffer such anguish. He couldn't help but marvel at the mark Vlad made... until something odd happened. "Huh?"

"Is there something wrong, Hoarfen?"

The First Mate looked at his captain. "Um, no. It's just, it almost looked like that skull you made... breathed. Almost like it's alive."

"It was just that pathetic disgrace breathing, you stupid mutt."

"Fuck off, you damned cat."

"Hah?!"

"Enough. Let's get to the ship," Vlad ordered.

"Yes, sir," the two rivals said as they continued to glare at each other, their tails puffed up.

The crew walked towards their ship and got a surprise. "Well, that's impressive. The old one said it would take about an hour," Vlad said.

"Hasn't even been thirty minutes," Paul commented.

"A-Alright, youngin'." Vlad looked at the frightened old man and his frightened workers. "Yer ship's ready to go."

"I see." Vlad looked at the Crimson Palace. "The coating seems flawless. Very well done."

"T-Thankya."

"And the payment?"

"On the house!"

"Oh, thank you."

"Anytime. Let's go, boys!"

"Yes, sir!" After that, the old man and his workers bolted.

"Hm, that was nice of them. Alright, prepare to depart," Vlad ordered.

"Sir," the Bloody Pirates answered.

After making preparations, the crew prepared to descend towards Fishman Island, and after that, the New World will be next. Many of them thought the same thing.

" _I'm coming home."_

* * *

 **Omake:**

Owlman was flying around an island in the cover of night. He was perched on a tree as he analyzed a small village. "Quite a few humans. Not too big or too small. A fairly isolated island. This island is perfect for sacrifice."

"Ah!"

Owlman's eyes widened when he heard a man's gasp. He looked down to see a human looking up at him in shock, holding a book. _"He saw me!"  
_

The man tried to run, but he didn't get far at all. Owlman quickly caught him and flew into the forest, not too far from the village. He threw the man onto the ground and held him there with his talons. The man looked at Owlman with fear, but that didn't matter to the Chimera.

"I'm sorry. Truly, I am. But I have orders to kill anyone who has seen me."

"Please, don't," the man pleaded with tears in his eyes. "I have a daughter."

"I see. Then worry not. This island has been chosen for sacrifice. You're daughter will join you soon enough. Just be patient, and be prepared to greet her in the afterlife." After saying that, Owlman used his talons to stab the poor man several times in several different areas of his chest. Owlman tried to make it look as close to a murder as he could, not wanting to leave any trace of him being there. It's better for the people to believe he was killed by a thief than by a Chimera. To make it more believable, Owlman took out the man's wallet, took all the money out of it, and threw it next to him. With his job done, he was about to fly away and wait for his captain to enter the New World.

"R...o...s...e." Owlman looked behind him to see the man bring the book he had to his face. "Forgive... me... honey. Daddy... got blood... all over your... new... bo...ok." With that, the man's arm holding the book fell to his side. He died with his eyes open.

Owlman took one last look at the man, sighed, and flew away.

 **A/N: Oi, my chapters are long, and I'm too lazy. No wonder it takes me forever to write just one. Meh, not like anyone waits for these things. I don't get any reviews, so I basically have the 'Screw Around as Much as You Want' Card. Yay!**


	8. Chapter 8

The Crimson Palace was now sailing beneath the waves towards Fishman Island. The Bloody Pirates did their own thing, since none of them were really interested in the scenery. They had all already seen it once already, so it wasn't anything new to them.

Although, there were a few fish and Sea Kings the crew didn't recognize. That caught the attention of members like Hoarfen or Jack. Even Tanya looked interested in at least a few of them. Tanya and Hoarfen saw food, while Jack saw potential Chimeras.

Hoarfen got especially excited when it looked like one of the Sea Kings was about to attack the ship. He was already getting an ice needle that wouldn't pop the bubble ready. However, Megalo and the other Sea Chimeras easily took care of the Sea King. He and the rest of the Sea Chimeras killed so many Sea Kings with little to no effort so many times, that every other creature became terrified of them, and refused to go anywhere near the ship. That didn't stop Megalo from collecting a few fish for dinner when Tanya asked him and the other Sea Chimeras.

During the deep sea dive, the Sea Chimeras were being vigilante. However, even though the water pressure didn't bother them in the least, the lack of light did. Their eyes weren't meant for the dark. Megalo had the most light sensitive eyes, but even he was having a hard time seeing in the darkness. Not even Hoarfen and Tanya, whose eyes were enhanced by their Devil Fruits, could see very well in the pitch black darkness. Only one person was able to see in the depths.

Vlad himself.

It might as well be the middle of the day for him. All he needed to do was manipulate the blood in his eyes. He could see everything the others couldn't, including the destroyed ships, the scattered treasures, the myriad of floating corpses, and a certain sea monster:

The Kraken.

The beast was glaring at the ship, reaching out to it with one of it's massive tentacles. It would have easily crushed the ship, if it hadn't made one simple mistake. It looked right into Vlad's crimson eyes. Absolute fear gripped the very soul of the Kraken the moment it looked into Vlad's deep, blood-red eyes. It knew just by looking at him.

Even though they were in the Kraken's territory, even though humans can't breath underwater, even though the water pressure should kill any human immediately, even though all the laws of nature should be on it's side; the Kraken knew. It knew there was no way it could defeat the being staring back at it with those beautiful, yet cold eyes. If anything, the being would easily kill the Kraken.

With that thought alone, the Kraken retreated back into the depths, hoping to be out of the gaze of the being. Now and forever more, it would avoid the being with the crimson eyes.

" _Hmph. Pathetic,"_ Vlad thought. _"To think there was a time when the Kraken was one of the most fearsome creatures I have ever faced. Now, I can easily slay a pack of them as easily as shooting fish in a barrel."_

Vlad looked up, just in time to see a few Sea Kings swim above the Crimson Palace. _"These were some of the most majestic and feared creatures on Earth. Even I was no match for them."_ Vlad then looked down at his hand. _"Now look at me. I've become so powerful, that the mighty Sea King is no different from the fish Tanya cooks for our meals. Not one of them are a challenge to me anymore. . . . But then again, not one of them could compare to_ _ **that one**_ _."_

Vlad then looked back up, the light of the surface slowly fading away completely. _"It's been over two thousand years since I've faced it. The ultimate sea monster. A creature more than deserving to be called a devil. A beast that even Sea Kings rightly fear."_

* * *

Vlad then remembered what happened two thousand years ago. It was long before he created the Bloody Pirates. He had been traveling the world, seeing all it had to offer. During his travels, he landed on a barren island. It was more like a mountain or plateau, with no signs of animal or plant life. He landed on it because of the black clouds forming in the sky. He could actually smell the rain and feel the static of the lightning in the air.

He might have had a bit of difficulty, but he still would have been able to fly through the storm. However, he felt it was better to rest. When he found a small cave near the apex of the island, he was about to do just that. Then, he sense it.

It immediately began to pour heavy sheets of rain with lightning crashing every few seconds. The once calm waves were now raging, crashing against the island. Vlad looked behind him in time to see what looked like the tail of a Sea King. Yet, something was off about the tail. When Vlad saw it, he felt... danger. He shouldn't have felt that. He survived the Calm Belt. He's killed Sea Kings. So why was he so nervous?

To find out what was making him so on edge, Vlad climbed to the top of the mountain, where he got a full view of the sea surrounding the island. At first, all he could see were raging waves. Then, he saw it. Thanks to a flash of lightning, Vlad saw that one of the massive waves was actually a serpentine body. The body... was bigger than most Sea Kings.

Vlad followed the body. The creature wasn't submerged. It was swimming on the surface of the raging sea. Even without the flashes of lightning, Vlad was able to see the creature's massive body. Vlad made a startling discovery. This creature was large enough to encircle the enormous mountain island... twice. What made it more astounding was the fact that Vlad hasn't found it's head or it's tail. He was still searching for either part of the beast. As such, he had no idea how big this creature was.

Then, he sensed something. There was something absolutely massive behind him. Thunder was heard, but Vlad did not see the flash of lightning. He was covered in darkness. He turned around to see why, and saw an awesome sight.

Before Vlad was the massive head of a serpent like creature. The head alone was as large as the island. It looked like it could swallow the whole thing in one gulp. It's scales somehow shinned, even in the darkness. They looked impenetrable. It's eyes might as well be piercing Vlad to his very soul. The fangs looked as magnificent an O Wazamono sword. It was the most magnificent and terrifying creature Vlad had ever seen.

The mighty sea serpent roared before Vlad. It's grand cry made the seas rage even more than before, shattered parts of the island, distorted lightning, and made even the air itself shake. Vlad was almost certain the air even began to crack. It was a roar that terrified even reality itself. Vlad didn't know if he was before a magnificent creature... or a god in the form of a beast.

Vlad was actually afraid. He has never been before a creature this powerful. He didn't even know something this strong could even exist. And yet... he was excited. He was even smiling. His body was trembling from the adrenaline rush this creature gave him. With a smile, he created blood swords from the palms of his hand, spun them around, and got into a fighting position. Then, he looked right into the creature's eyes, his own burning with the flame of battle, and shouted loud enough for even the very heavens itself to hear:

"COME ON!"

The creature roared and lunged towards Vlad, and the pseudo-vampire lunged towards the beast with his swords in hand. And so began one of Vlad's most dangerous, taxing, and exciting battles. His duel with a creature beyond even legend. A creature that has actually been worshiped as a god. One of the few creatures that can actually be called a Sea God.

* * *

" _Leviathan. What I wouldn't give to find that beast once more. If I died in battle against it, I would have had the honorable warrior's death I have been searching for all these years. I would finally be satisfied."_

"-ad. -lad? EARTH TO VLAD!?"

Vlad then felt something slightly smack his cheek several times. With wide and confused eyes, blinking a few times, he looked to see Hoarfen looking at him with his arms crossed and a raised eyebrow.

"Hm? What?"

"What's with you? We've been calling you for a while, and you're just over here spacing out? Enjoy your trip in the stars?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was just remembering an old fight."

"Must have been a hell of a fight."

"You have no idea. Anyway, why did you need me?"

Hoarfen pointed his thumb over the rails. Vlad followed the direction and saw an island. "We landed on Fishman island a few minutes ago. Though, we accidentally brushed past a few pointed rocks and some reefs that popped the bubble. Fortunately, the island is surrounded by a giant bubble, so we can breath easy."

"I see." Vlad looked towards the island, and looked up to see other islands in the same types of bubbles. He analyzed all of them. "Hm, it seems we're in a sort of district. We should find a few necessary supplies here, as well as a coater." Vlad then walked towards the deck, followed by Hoarfen. He saw that all of the core members were waiting for him there. "Tanya, you're coming with me and Hoarfen to gather some supplies."

"Hah?! Why should I go anywhere with that mutt?!"

"Like I'd what to go anywhere with you, fish-breath!"

"Fish-breath?! What the fuck kind of comeback is that?! You a brat?!"

"Fuck you! I'll turn you into fish food!"

"I'd like to see you try!"

Vlad clapped his hands, but it was enough to make a boom loud enough to gain everyone's attention. "We don't need to be together. We can just split up once we get on the island. I'll personally look for a coating expert for the ship. You can find any food that catches your eye. Hoarfen, try to find any tools or unique fishman items we can use."

"Anything to keep me away from fish-breath," Hoarfen spat out.

"I swear, I will throw you into the mouth of the first Sea King I see," Tanya hissed.

Vlad sighed. "Jack, Medusa, Paul, the three of you are in charge of the ship and the Chimeras. Do with them as you see fit."

Medusa smiled and nodded her head before she went back to tuning her guitar and playing a song. Vlad just now noticed how there were children, both human and Chimera, at her feet, listening to her music in awe. Paul just grunted, turned towards a few muscular Chimeras who were carrying some metals, and gestured for them to follow him. He and the Chimeras walked down the stairs towards, more than likely, his workshop.

Jack walked up with a smile and bowed courteously before Vlad. "You can trust the ship's safety to me."

Vlad nodded and looked to see Hoarfen and Tanya literally growling and snarling at each other, both slowly entering their hybrid forms. "Let's go, you two. We can go our separate ways once we enter the island.

"Gladly," the two spat as they followed Vlad, neither taking their eyes off the other.

When the three pirates entered the island, they did just that. Hoarfen turned left, Tanya turned right, and Vlad just kept moving forward. He sensed his crew mates getting farther away, but sensed someone else appear behind him and follow him. "So you're coming with me, Megalo?"

"Yes, sir. Along with a few others. I believe It would be best for you to have an entourage."

"I can handle myself."

"And that is the problem, sir. You are far too powerful to sully your superior hands on scum."

Vlad didn't respond immediately. "Do as you please."

"Thank you, sir."

As they walked, an explosion was heard. The two looked to see a few burning buildings and heard some screams. "Sounds like someone is having a good time," Vlad said.

* * *

The sounds of mermaids and fishmen screaming was heard among the explosions, as well as the sound of men laughing. "Now that Whitebeard is dead, we can finally make a profit off of these! Oh, where do you think you're going, honey?!"

A mermaid was trying to escape. "No! Stay away from me!"

"Get back here," a fat pirate yelled with an evil smile as he chased her.

The mermaid tried to get away as fast as she could, but ended up running into something. She could tell that it wasn't a wall, and feared for the worst. She expected a large human. But when she looked up, she saw a fishman, one she has never seen before. She placed her hands on the large fishman's muscular chest, tears streaming down her eyes. "Please! Help us!" The fishman didn't respond.

"Wait up, gorgeous," the fat pirate laughed evilly. He stopped when he saw the large fishman. He whistled, impressed by the sight. "You'll catch a pretty penny. Hm? He yours, pretty boy?"

The mermaid looked towards who the vile human was talking to, and was amazed by what she saw. The most attractive human she had ever seen. Because of the ugliness of humans she has experienced, she never expected to find one attractive, but she couldn't help but be drawn to him. His dark tan skin, his crimson eyes, slender yet muscular body, and face all hit the mark for her. She couldn't believe a human that attractive could exist.

"Hey, pretty boy, how about a deal? I'll take that mermaid and your fishman, and I'll let you keep that pretty face of yours?"

"How dare you?!" The mermaid and the pirate looked to see the fishman glaring at the pirate, teeth bared, and eyes full of rage. "You have some nerve, filth! Speaking to the captain in such a disrespectful to-" The fishman stopped talking when the handsome man raised his hand. The fishman bowed in a respectful manner towards the man.

"Captain? You mean that guy's part of your crew? Not your slave? What the hell, pretty boy? Don't you know those guys are walking piggy banks? That fishman could be worth quite a pretty beli, ya know."

The man didn't respond. "I will only say this once."

"Huh?"

"Get out of my way."

The pirate's eyes widened before he snarled and stomped up to the man. Though he was shorter, and the man literally looked down at him, the pirate still leered at the handsome man. He must have been trying to be intimidating, as if he was worth a damn. "The fuck you say to me, punk?"

"I will not repeat myself," the man said, his eyes turning even colder than before.

If the pirate was in his right mind, he'd be terrified of the man before him. However, he was so overcome with rage, that his face was completely red. He raised his sword, prepared to slash the man. "I'll cut that pretty face of yours right off your he-"

In the next second, the man moved. The mermaid didn't see what he did. All she saw was the pirate looking at the man with a shocked look, and the man holding his arm out to the right. She could also swear she saw a line in the air beginning at the pirate's raised arm to the end of what could barely be called a neck.

She then heard a loud boom and saw the ground shake. She looked behind in time to see that it was caused by the fishman. He had smashed his fist onto the ground while kneeling, a look of anguish and anger on his face. She was shocked by the sheer strength of the fishman. She has never seen a fishman with physical strength like his.

"Captain, please, forgive me. I have failed you."

"You have done no such thing, Megalo."

"I did, Captain Vlad. I swore I would not allow your hands to be sullied by the blood of filth."

"It matters not. I warned the fool to step aside. He refused. And now..."

"What the fuck was that?!"

The mermaid looked towards the voices, and was overcome with fear and horror as she saw the rest of the pirate's crew running towards them, still carrying her captured friends and neighbors.

"Captain! What was that quake?!"

"Sir, why are you just standing there with your sword raised?!"

"Who's the pretty boy?! A new recruit?!"

The mermaid looked at the group before looking back at the man now revealed to be named Vlad, who was pointing at the still unmoving pirate captain. "The man has lost his life." When he said that, he lightly pushed the shorter man's shoulder, causing him to fall over. When he hit the ground, his head literally rolled away, and the mid-section of his forearm slid away from the rest of his arm. Blood poured from both wounds.

The sight of the corpse caused the pirates to stop dead in their tracks, starring in shock at their mutilated captain. Even the mermaids stopped screaming, and the fish and mermen stopped struggling. They were all too shocked at the sight before them. No one even notice how Vlad was literally walking past them.

"Megalo?" Hearing his sultry voice snapped many of the pirates out of the trance, all of them now looking at him with nervous glares as they placed their hands on the hilts of their swords.

"Sir?"

"You are to lead Hammer, Piscileo, and Eelectro in slaying the rest of these humans. Do with the mermaids and fishmen as you see fit. Do you all understand your orders?"

"We do, sir." The four voices surprised the pirates, especially since it sounded like they were right behind them.

* * *

Before one of the men could fully turn around, he was slammed in the side of his chest by what felt like a giant hammer. He felt his ribs and spine shatter into dust before he was smashed into a ruined building, dying on impact. When the rest of his comrades looked, they saw the most intimidating Hammerhead Shark Fishman they had ever seen. The Fishman was tall enough to literally look down on them... his fists clenched tightly while his cold eyes leered at them. They... saw... no... weapon.

Before they could attack, the fishman raised his head, and headbutted the pirate closest to him. They watched as their comrade was smashed into the ground, literally as flat as a pancake, arms sticking out of the hole. They were horrified by the impossible strength of the fishman. None of them have ever seen any fishman with even a fraction of this one's strength.

Then, one pirate was forcefully turned around. He saw what looked like a Lionfish Fishman. That was the very first one he has ever seen. Probably the first one anyone has seen, since there was no know sighting of one. Before the pirate could analyze the fishman even more, the fishman jumped towards the pirate and began to spin.

The pirate was being slashed by the spines of the lionfish. The pirate screamed in agony. His entire body, including his eyes, were slashed by the poisonous spines. The venom made the pain even more intense. His entire body burned as if doused in acid. Then, he couldn't breath. His throat had swollen because of the venom. He died in less than a minute from the ungodly pain and lack of air.

Another pirate charged at the fishman to try and kill him, but another fishman appeared before him. He saw that the fishman had the head of an eel. No one's ever seen a fishman like that. Before the man realized it, the fishman grabbed his head with both hands. The man then felt electricity course through his head. The electricity was violently powerful enough to make the man's eyes pop out of his skull. At that moment, the fishman grabbed both orbs, and ripped them out of the man's skull. With the tendons still dangling from between his fingers, the fishman watched the man fall to his side, dead.

The other pirates attacked, hoping to kill at least one of these monsters. They didn't stand a chance. It might as well have been over in the blink of an eye. In what felt like seconds, the three fishmen were standing over the corpses of the would-be fishmen thieves. Then, all three of them looked at the final pirate, each with a single glowing red orb shining at the terrified pirate.

The pirate wanted to run, and he did. He didn't get far at all. He ended up running into what felt like a brick wall. When he looked up, he saw that it was the first fishman, looking down at him with the eyes of a demon. The pirate was shaking in fear before he raised his sword with a scream of terror.

"DIE, YOU MONSTER!"

He swung his sword with all his strength, and saw something horrifying. His sword shattered to pieces when it struck the fishman's chest. He looked at his destroyed sword in absolute shock. He then slowly looked up... and saw the fishman had both of his arms raised. Then, the man saw nothing but darkness.

* * *

Megalo stared at his clapped hands, and then watched the now headless corpse fall to the ground. He then looked at his bloody palms, groaning in disgust at the blood of scum.

"Pack Leader Megalo!"

"Hm?" He looked up towards his teammates.

"What should we do with the captured mermaids and fishmen," Eelectro asked.

"Do you even have to ask," Megalo said as he walked towards them. When he was over the first cage he reached, he ripped it off of the poor mermaid in a second with just one hand. "They would have been shipped off to an auction house to be sold as slaves. No one deserves such a fate. The four of us should know that better than anyone."

"Yes. You are correct, Pack Leader," Piscileo said as he used his sharp spiked hand to cut the handcuffs around mermaids and fishmen.

Hammer used his immense strength to crush the cages to dust, allowing the mermaid inside to crawl out of it.

Eelectro was using his electricity to melt the locks off of both cages and handcuffs. "You know... our captain really is amazing." None of the Chimeras responded, but they were listening as they were releasing the prisoners. "I could have sworn we were hiding our presence, like the doctor taught us to, yet the captain was able to sense all three of us."

"It just goes to show just how powerful our captain is," Hammer said.

"He is most certainly a being worthy of praise and respect," Pisicileo said.

"Of course he is," Megalo said. "He's the one who gave us our freedom." Megalo then looked at his hand. "As well as gave us a new life. Because of this, I will forever pledge my allegiance to him, to the very end until his goal is accomplished."

"Is that goal even reachable?" Megalo looked at Eelectro. "Is it even possible... to kill him?" The captured mermaids and fishmen were shocked by what they heard.

"The captain is looking for a good death. A warrior's death. I myself have dreamed of such a death for myself."

"But, Pack Leader Megalo, we've all seen the power our captain wields. Can something with power such as that even be killed?"

"It is the captain's desire. If there is a way, then by my honor as the Pack Leader of the Sea Chimeras, as well as being one of the first Chimera, and a member of the Bloody Pirates, I will find a way." Megalo then shattered the last handcuff, freeing the last mermaid. "That is the last of them. Move out. We must reach the captain."

"Sir!" The four Chimeras then began to walk towards the direction they sensed their captain to be in.

"Wait!" The four powerful creatures then looked behind them to see the mermaid that ran into Megalo. She was blushing a bit, unable to look at the four saviors. She then shut her eyes and bowed. "Thank you. Thank you for saving us."

"You have no reason to thank us," Hammer said.

"Eh?" The mermaid looked at the four with confusion in her eyes.

"He speaks the truth. We are not heroes, nor are we saviors. We are soldiers, following the orders of our superior. Nothing more, nothing less." Megalo and the pack then began to walk away.

"Wait," a fishman called out. "Why do you follow a human?!"

"Because he is our savior," Piscileo answered. The fishmen and mermaids were shocked by the answer.

"If it were not for him, we would have been sold as slaves," Eelctro explained to the merfolk.

"I myself was being sent to a Celestial Dragon, just so they could torture me for their own amusement," Megalo explained to the shock of the merfolk. "However, the captain killed the slaver trader, and gave me a new life. I will never be able to repay my debt to him, but I will forever follow him."

"As will we all," said the other three Chimeras. With that, they walked away once more, leaving behind amazed fishmen and mermaids.

* * *

"Excuse me," Vlad said to get the attention of a mermaid tending to a shop. "Do you know where I might be able to find a coating expert?"

"Hm? Oh, you could always check-" The mermaid gasped when she looked up.

"Hm? Is there something wrong?"

The woman had a shocked expression, but it wasn't because of Vlad. It was because of what was behind him.

A large figure holding a hammer was behind him, ready to smash him. The figure swung the hammer down towards Vlad's head with all his might.

"DON'T DO IT," the mermaid cried as she reached out towards Vlad.

However, her worry was misplaced. She received an amazing shock when she saw Vlad smash the giant hammer with a simple back fist without looking or reacting at all. His expression didn't change at all. "Young lady, I ask again, is something the matter," Vlad asked in a nonchalant and gentlemanly tone. After saying that, he elbowed the fishman behind him before sending him flying with another back fist.

Before the mermaid could say anything, she saw Vlad gripping the air to his left. She thought it was strange at first, before she heard a choking sound. "Hm? Could you perhaps be worried because of them?" Vlad then tightened his grip, making the choking sound even worse.

Then, a fishman appeared. "Mr. Zeo," the mermaid exclaimed in shock.

"D-Don't get cocky, hu-*cough*-man!"

"Hm?"

"I...t was my plan... to let you *cough ***** catch me!"

"Really? Was it your plan to let me do this as well?" Vlad then released the fishman known as Zeo. However, before Zeo could react, Vlad viciously kicked him in the stomach. He was smashed through countless walls. He was too far for the mermaid to see.

"HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO MY FRIEND?!" Vlad looked to see a small fishman jumping towards him. "I'LL GNASH YOU UP FOR WHAT YOU DID TO ZEO!"

When the fishman got close enough, Vlad punched him square in the face, knocking him out instantly. Vlad watched as the small fishman fell to the ground, nose bleeding with his eyes rolled back. "Gnash that." He then kicked the fishman, sending him flying over buildings as if he were a football. The small fishman fell behind houses far away from Vlad.

"Curse you!" Vlad looked to see an eight armed squid fishman charging at him with eight spears. "I'll turn you into a dried squid!" The fishman then attacked Vlad with all eight spears at blinding speeds.

However, Vlad didn't move a muscle. He just stood there, looking at the fishman with an unimpressed look.

The fishman smiled when he felt all of his attacks land. Then, he realized something that made his eyes widen in shock. "Why? Why aren't you dried up? Wait, my spears aren't even touching you! How is that possible?!" Then, all eight of his spears shattered. "W-What?!"

As he stared at his ruined spears, he noticed Vlad raise a single finger. Vlad then shot the finger towards the fishman, but was about an inch away from the target. The fishman was confused... until he felt a barrage of attacks hitting striking his entire body countless times. It only lasted a minute, but for the fishman, it might as well be a lifetime. When the strikes stopped, the fishman was still convulsing from the countless violent strikes, of which there was proof of from the horrifying marks and ugly bruises all over his body. He then fell to the ground, his body still pulsing from the horrible damage.

"Y-You bastard." Vlad looked to see a large, pot-bellied shark fishman holding a red trident, looking at Vlad with absolute hatred. "How dare you! How dare you harm my brothers, you human scum!"

Vlad's eyes widened at what the fishman said. "What did you just call me?"

"Did you not hear me? I called you: HUMAN SCUM!"

Vlad was quiet for a bit, his expression unreadable since his eyes were hidden. He had a neutral look on his face... until he smiled. "Hm. Hm, hm-hm-hm-hm. Hm, hn-hn-hn-hn-hn-hn. Heh-he-he-heh-heh. Hm, ha-ha. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! AH-HAH-HA-HA-HA-HA! VLA-HAHAHAHAHA! HUMAN! HUMAN! HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! TO THINK THERE WERE STILL BEINGS IN THIS WORLD THAT WOULD CALL ME THAT! VLA-HA-HA-HA-HA!"

Vlad's laugh sounded incredibly maniacal, yet full of heart. It was as if that was the first time he had laughed in years. In fact, it was. Centuries even. He himself couldn't remember the last time he had laughed. Still, it was a pretty disturbing, scary laugh. One that made both the mermaid and fishman shiver to the bone.

Vlad's laughter began to die down. He was chuckling a bit while covering his face with his hand. "How long has it been since I was last called a human? Years? Decades?" Vlad then looked through his fingers at the fishman, a single eye glowing demonically. "Centuries?"

The fishman was shaking. He couldn't stop the reaction. He then did something that absolutely astonished him. He took a step back. He looked back at the foot that subconsciously committed the act before looking back up, only to receive a horrifying shock to see the human... or rather, the _creature_ appear before him, an aura of unholy power resonating from him. The fishman didn't know what it was before him, but he knew for certain that it was NOT human.

"You've probably figured it out by now, but I am a creature far beyond humanity." Before the fishman knew what had happened, he felt an excruciating amount of pain in his stomach. The being before him had punched him hard enough to create a torrent of wind escape from the fishman's back. The fishman vomited blood before falling to the ground, unable to understand how he wasn't dead.

"Know this." The fishman looked up to see the being hold up a hand, looking ready to impale him with just his fingers alone. "Your life was stolen from you... by a devil." With that, Vlad shot his hand towards the fishman's head, who was unable to so much as blink.

However, the fishman saw the hand a mere inch away from his eyes. He looked to see Vlad, his eyes wide. Then, the powerful captain smiled. "Well, isn't that interesting." Vlad stood up, confusing the fishman.

"Hody Jones, was it?"

Hody's eyes widened. "H-How? I never said my name! How do you know my name, devil?!"

"I have seen your future."

"You what? Do you expect me to believe you have the same power as Shyarly?!"

"Who? Do you expect me to know someone by that name?" Hody just glared at Vlad. "Well, it isn't important. What is important is your fate. In about two years time... you will have temporarily taken over Fishman Island."

Hody's eyes widened. He would have been happy to know that, if he hadn't noticed a certain detail in what Vlad had said. "Temporarily?"

"Yes. Though you had successfully captured and even overthrew the royal family, a human and his comrades will have defeated you, and made all your efforts for naught."

"WHAT?! YOU'RE LYING! THERE'S NO WAY A MERE HUMAN CAN DEFEAT ME!"

"Oh, I'm very much telling the truth. In fact, this same young man will have defeated you in single combat when you are far more powerful than you are now. In fact, his crew mates will have defeated all of your officers while they are far beyond the powers of their prime. They will have been next to no match for the humans."

"LIES! IT'S ALL LIES! YOU TRULY ARE A DEVIL! YOU TRY TO TRICK ME WITH YOUR FORKED TONGUE!"

"Forked? Does my tongue looked forked to you?" Vlad then let his tongue hang out in a mocking manner. Yet, even then, Hody was still afraid of this man. Vlad then brought his tongue back into his mouth. "Accept it. The creature you despise most, a human, will utterly defeat you. He will destroy your ambitions, and save the royal family from your pathetic little coup."

"No. No! NO! I refuse that prediction! You lie!"

"I do not. My Observation is all but unmatched. In one way or the other, my predictions always come to pass. Not one of them has been prevented. They can barely even be delayed, if at all. I... am never wrong."

"I refuse. I refuse! I REFUSE!" Hody then looked at Vlad with the angered look of a Sea King. "If that is to be my fate, THEN I'D RATHER DIE AT THE HANDS OF A DEVIL LIKE YOU!" Hody then charged at Vlad, trident ready to impale his head.

Vlad just starred at Hody with a neutral expression, and simply tilted his head to avoid the weapon. He then punched Hody in the stomach when he was close enough, causing Hody to cough up more blood and fall to his knees. Even though he felt like that blow could have killed even an average fishman... or an above average fishman... or even a fishman like Arlong, Hody somehow knew. He knew that this devil in human skin was holding back his immeasurable strength.

"If that knowledge is so horrible..." Hody looked up, and saw a true devil. Vlad's face was completely shadowed, the only visible thing being two glowing red orbs. Hody's blood then ran cold when a hand reached out towards him. "Then... you can forget this entire encounter. Believe what you wish once you awaken." That was the last thing Hody heard before being enveloped in darkness.

Vlad used his powers to manipulate the blood in Hody's brain to do a bit of minor damage to his temporal lobe, giving him a minor case of amnesia. By Vlad's estimate, he did enough damage to erase about an hour's worth of memory, meaning that Hody will have no memory of him, what he told him, or what was done to his crew.

When Vlad finished, he released Hody's head and watched as the fishman fell to his side, his eyes rolled back and his mouth gaping open. After looking down at the fishman for a few seconds, Vlad casually walked back to the now terrified mermaid. "Now, young lady, about that coating expert."

* * *

"Aaaaah. I'm bored. There's nothing we need down here," Hoarfen said as he took a bite out of something. "I guess I can just head back. Though, it might be a bit of a boring walk back." When Hoarfen said that, he looked to see a bunch of fishmen holding makeshift weapons cowering in fear of him. "These guys are way too afraid of me after what I did to their friends," he said as he took another bite of whatever he was eating.

What he was eating was the ripped off arm of a fishman. He was laying on top of a whole pile of fishmen he slaughtered. They thought he was one of the humans that came to kidnap their friends and family, and wanted to knock him out in order to find out where the ship was. They knew they made a horrible mistake when the first fishman that tried to attack him from behind was ripped to shreds by the "human's" bare hands. It got worse when the thing they thought was human spotted the rest of the would-be attackers, and slaughtered them.

After watching the horrible nightmare, they knew he wasn't one of the humans that came to kidnap them. They just wished they had known that sooner. At least if their friends were captured, they'd be able to save them. Now, not only were their friends killed by a single human, but they were being eaten by him as well.

No. Calling him a human wouldn't be right. He is something much worse. Much more terrible. Much more horrible: A monster.

"Well, at least I've got me some food for a while. Anything to avoid eating that worthless cat's food." Hoarfen then jumped off the pile of corpses and ate the rest of the arm. The fishmen and mermaids winced at every crunching sound of bone.

"Now then..." Hoarfen turned towards the pile, took in a deep breath, and blew. The merfolk watched as a blue wind burst from Hoarfen's mouth, enveloping the entire pile. When it was gone, the pile was completely encased in ice.

Hoarfen then blew next to the pile and created a block of ice as large as the pile. The merfolk then saw Hoarfen grow sharp claws, a feat they've never seen any human do before. Then, he did something else they've never seen a human do. He appeared behind the block in a second, then it's right, then left, and ended where he started. They all could have sworn they saw light slash across the block. Then, the block shattered.

Out of the cloud of ice, a cart made of ice appeared. They watched in amazement as Hoarfen actually tested it out, and saw it actually move. "Huh, not one of my best works. Meh, mediocre or not, it's still useful."

" _THAT'S MEDIOCRE"_ thought all the merfolk. Even though they were terrified of the monster, they all had to admit that his crafting skills were top notch. That ice cart was practically a work of art.

They all gasped when they watched the monster kick the ice block full of their dead friends onto the cart, which didn't even crack at the heavy sounding impact. Then, the monster began to walk away with the cart. As he walked past them, he looked at the merfolk with a single, glowing blue eye. That's when the merfolk felt absolute fear and terror. Those eyes weren't the eyes of one living creature looking at another. It wasn't even the eye of one looking at another with disdain and prejudice. They didn't even feel the cruel look of someone looking down on them. It felt much worse.

It was the eye of a beast looking at it's food.

* * *

"Thanks for the food. This should keep my crew satisfied for a while," Tanya said.

"I-I see," said a fishman as he looked at the giant pile of food behind the little human. It was four times her height. "Uh, thanks for your business."

"Yeah, and thanks for the new log pose," she said as she looked at the three-needled log pose. "My captain will definitely find a use for it. Oh, and sorry for the mess." Both Tanya and the fishman looked outside of the fishman's store, and saw a pile of unconscious and bloody fishmen. "Hope I didn't get any blood on your wares or store. Bad for publicity, right?"

"Um... yeah."

"Anyway, here's every last beri," Tanya said as she gave the fishman the money she owed.

"T-Thanks."

Tanya then looked at the giant pile of food, then at the fishmen. "Got a sewing kit?"

"Um, yeah." The fishman took out the product. "That'll be ten berries."

"Here ya go," Tanya said as she placed the money on the counter and grabbed the kit.

Then, she disappeared before the fishman, a feat that made his eyes pop out. He then heard a whooshing sound from outside his store and saw something that made his jaw hit his counter.

Tanya had created a giant bag more than big enough to carry the food by sewing the shirts of the unconscious fishmen together. She then covered all of the food and lifted it like it was nothing. The fishman's tongue rolled out and started flailing around like a flag.

" _THERE IS NO WAY THAT WOMAN IS A HUMAN!"_

"Later," Tanya said with a wave as she walked away.

* * *

The First Mate and the cook walked towards their ship with their goods. During their walk, they ran into each other, each giving the other a death glare.

"Mutt."

"Pussy."

Tanya looked behind him. "I see you've been productive."

Hoarfen looked at what she was carrying. "More than you. Trying to poison our crew with your slop?"

"Ah? You wanna go, punk," Tanya asked with a stereotypical female delinquent look as she got close to Hoarfen.

"Bring it on," Hoarfen answered with a stereotypical male delinquent look as he glared at Tanya.

"Hm, took you two long enough to get here."

The two looked to see Vlad, Megalo, Megalo's personal lieutenants, and a random merman standing in front of the ship. The merman was actually floating away from the ship, drying his hands. Tanya and Hoarfen noticed that the ship was coated.

"So that guy's the coating expert," Hoarfen asked.

"Yes." Vlad dug into his pocket and took out some berries. "Here's your payment, Mr. Den."

"Come on, Mr. Tepes. I said I would do it for free," Den said as he tried to wave away the cash.

"Call it a client's pride. I prefer to reward people for their work. I insist. At the very least, receive it as a tip or gift."

Den sighed in defeat. "Well, if you insist." Den took the money and began to float away. "Be careful in the New World. There are all kinds of scary people over there."

As he floated away, Den heard Hoarfen chuckle. He looked to see the human was actually holding in his laughter. "Scary people, he says." Den then felt nervous and felt a chill run up his spine just from looking at Hoarfen. "If only he knew."

Den then looked at the block Hoarfen was carting. It was totally blue, but he could have sworn he saw something in it. For a reason unknown to him, it made him feel uneasy. He knew for sure he didn't want to know what was inside, especially when he looked at the man.

Den couldn't even see his face. It was completely shadowed, with only a glowing eye and a shining... fanged smile being visible. Mr. Tepes seemed like a good man. _'Anyone with fishmen in his crew couldn't be totally evil,'_ Den thought. However, this particular man seemed... off. Because of that, Den hurried, and floated away from the dangerous looking man as soon as possible. He didn't even notice that the woman standing next to him was carrying a bag at least ten times her size.

"Alright, everyone on board. We're departing immediately."

"Sir," saluted the Sea Chimeras.

"Uh-huh," Hoarfen said as he carted the ice block full of his and the cannibalistic Chimeras food. _'Wait, does eating fishmen even count as cannibalism,'_ Hoarfen asked himself. _'I mean, they taste like fish, with a hint of_ _human. . . . Ah, whatever. They're still delicious.'_

"Don't worry, Vlad. I need to get this stuff to the cooks anyway. Gotta get dinner started."

"Whatcha makin', ya horny cat? Fish shit soup," Hoarfen said with a snarky smile.

"I was thinking more in the lines of Hoarfen Stew," Tanya hissed back.

"Stir fried Tanya sounds better."

"I'll kill you!"

"Like hell!"

The two then got their faces closer to stare the other down, with Hoarfen snarling while Tanya was growling.

"THERE THEY ARE!"

The group walking up the plank looked behind them to see a small army of fishmen with odd tattoos running towards them. They looked almost like pirates.

"GIVE BACK OUR PEOPLE, YOU THIEVES!"

"YOU WON'T TAKE MY WIFE!"

"YOU HUMANS THINK YOU CAN JUST COME HERE AND KIDNAP WHOEVER YOU WANT?!"

"The hell're they talkin' about," Hoarfen asked. "I KILLED their friends, not kidnap them. I'm pretty sure there were plenty of witnesses. Why didn't they mention that?"

"Don't look at me," Tanya said. "I just beat them into a coma. No fishmen, merfolk, or mermaids in this sack."

"Captain, could they be referring to..."

"Yes, Megalo. They believe we are the other group of pirates that we killed. The ones that were actually kidnapping their kind for a profit."

"Then, shall I explain?"

"No. I don't have the patience for that."

"Oh, so we kill them," Hoarfen said.

"No. Just get on the ship. I'll handle it."

Megalo looked worried. "Captain, you shouldn't sully your hands with the blood of the weak."

"Hm. You make it sound like I'm actually going to fight." Megalo looked confused when Vlad said that.

The powerful captain took just three steps forward, watching the army charge at him with a roar. They weren't even a yard away from him when they all fell to the ground, eyes rolled back. Megalo was amazed. His captain just took down an army without even lifting a finger, and without being anywhere near them.

"So you have Conqueror's Haki." Megalo looked at a smirking Hoarfen. "Why am I not surprised?"

"It's been a while since I've used it."

"No surprise, considering you've been stuck in Impel Down for decades," Tanya stated.

"Hm, well, now that that's over with, let's go," Vlad said as he walked towards the ship. He then stopped right before the plank, confusing Megalo and his pack. "Unless, of course, the three of you would like to challenge me." Vlad then turned around and looked up. "Would you like to take the challenge?"

Megalo and his pack followed their captain's gaze, and saw a large fish with three mermen standing on it's head. All three of them looked nervous, and Megalo couldn't blame them. When he looks at his captain, Megalo only sees one thing: Absolute power. Still, he couldn't help but wonder if these three were foolish enough to challenge his captain.

"It's impressive that you remained conscious after experiencing my Conqueror's Haki. It shows that the three of you have great strength and a powerful will. However, the fact remains that you still shiver in my presence."

Megalo examined the three mermen, and saw that his captain was right. They were all quivering. Megalo couldn't blame them. At least he could commend their intellect. He could see it in their eyes. They knew that defeating his captain... was impossible.

The largest of the fishmen, the one in the middle, released a dejected sigh. "No. We will do no such thing. All we ask is that you leave peacefully."

"That was exactly what we were about to do before these citizens charged at us. As such, I bid you adieu." With that, Vlad and the rest of the crew entered the ship, with Megalo being the exception. He just stood there, staring at the three fishmen. "Megalo?" The Chimera looked at his captain. "Aren't you coming?"

"Yes, sir." That's when he entered as well.

* * *

The Neptune brothers looked at the ship. "Should we really let them go- fa se do?"

"We don't have a choice," Fukaboshi said. "That man... he's far too powerful. I can feel it. If he wanted to..." Fukaboshi clenched his trident. "He could easily conquer us, or worse."

"And what could be worse than a let-down conqueror, where no dancin' or shakin' is allowed?"

Fukaboshi was quiet for a bit. "He... could easily slaughter every resident of Fishman Island... all by himself." Manboshi and Ryuboshi were shocked by what they heard. If their oldest brother said it, then it must be true. Hey didn't know who that human is, but they knew one thing about him: to them, he's unstoppable.

* * *

"Hawkman," Vlad called. The Sky Chimera landed before Vlad. "Gather your Pack. It seems we'll need you to fly the ship to the exit. Once it hits the bubble, you are to immediately reenter the ship. Understand?"

Hawkman nodded before he screeched. When he did, many Sky Chimeras flew from the hallway leading to the lower deck carrying rope. They worked intricately to tie the ropes to the ship before they lifted it from the ground. They then flew the ship to the exit of Fishman island, and followed Vlad's orders. They all made it back inside the ship before the bubble fully expanded, being sure to cut off the unnecessary ropes before they did.

"Megalo."

"Sir," the Sea Chimera said with a soldier's stance.

"Rally the strongest of your Pack. They are to guide the Crimson Palace to the surface."

"Understood." Megalo then walked to the lower decks.

In few minutes, he came back with his chosen pack members. Hammer was among them, as well as a Whale Shark Chimera, a Bull Sea Lion Chimera, a Walrus Chimera, and even a Yellowfin Chimera. The pack grabbed the ropes the Sky Chimeras didn't cut off and dived into the waters. The ship was now being pulled at speeds far greater than the natural current could take them. Vlad predicted that it would take barely ten minutes for them to reach the surface.

"Vlad?"

"Hm?" He looked to see Tanya walk over to him.

She held out something to him. "Here. I bought this on the island. We kinda need it since we're going back home."

Vlad took the item. "A three-needled Log Pose. Yes, this is certainly a necessity for navigating the New World. . . . Hm, the leftmost needle is shaking violently."

"Oh, sounds like an interesting event is happening there."

"And we might be the cause of it."

"Hm? What do you. . . . Ooh."

"That's right. It might be pointing to the island Owlman has chosen. If he had killed anyone there, it would have caused a stir."

"Well, we'll find out soon enough," Tanya said as she looked up.

"Indeed, we will," Vlad said as he also looked up.

The ship was now reaching the surface of the New World. The Crimson Palace shot through the water, popping the bubble. They were greeted by a thunderstorm.

Hoarfen took a deep breath. "Ah! Home, sweet, home!"

"So, we've finally returned."

Vlad looked towards the owner of the voice. "Ah, Paul. Is that your new hammer? It looks quite impressive."

It was a double-sided war hammer that looked as tall as Paul himself. Both sides were covered with spikes on the face of the hammer, making them resemble meat hammers. The tip of the handle had what looked like a miniature four-sided axe with a spike atop it. The hammer looked exceedingly thick. Vlad could tell that even he would have trouble lifting it with his base strength. He'd need to add more blood to his muscles to be able to lift it with both arms. Paul was the only person he could think of with the strength to lift a weapon like that with just one hand.

"Impressive? It's incomplete." Paul then began to toss the massive hammer as if it were nothing more than a mere twig. "A novice could craft this average thing. I'm missing some materials. Most important of all is gronite."

Vlad looked surprised. "Gronite?"

"Uh, don't you mean granite?" The two looked to see Hoarfen walking up with his hands in his pockets.

"You're an idiot, mutt," Tanya said.

"Hah?!"

"But, what else would I expect from a gluttonous mutt?"

"Why you little fur ball," Hoarfen said with glowing blue eyes.

"Fur ball?" Tanya's eyes glowed yellow.

"He really did mean gronite, Hoarfen." The two looked at their captain. "It's one of the rarest metals in the world, with value rivaling that of even Adam Wood. It's name stems from the word 'grow', because it has a special property. It literally grows to fit the size of whomever touches it. It could be the size of a pebble one second, but if you or I touch it, it would grow to fit the palm of our hands. Rumor has it that most of the Giants in the Navy use gronite based weapons. If Paul were to incorporate that metal into his hammer, it would explain the many rumors behind his previous hammer."

"Rumors?"

"As to how it was able to grow alongside myself whenever I turned into a giant cyclops. Many scientists theorized that I used a method to fuse a size manipulating Devil Fruit into my hammer, which increased my bounty since they believed I stole one of their technological advances."

"You tellin' me the 'all knowing' World Government didn't know about this 'gronite' thing?"

"Oh, they knew," Vlad said. "It's just that the metal was so rare, that it was basically mythical, more so than even the Devil Fruits themselves. The only draw back is that they don't discriminate. For example, if Paul does get his hands on the metal, and forge it into his hammer, it would grow to the exact size of the wielder, while also adjusting to the strength of the wielder. It could either increase or decrease in strength, depending on who holds it."

"For example, if a dwarf were to touch Paul's completed hammer, it would shrink to the dwarf's size, and adjust the density of the hammer to where the dwarf could be able to use it without it tearing or breaking. And considering how strong a dwarf can be, that's extremely powerful."

Hoarfen whistled. "Sounds like a hell of a metal. So, how do we find it?"

"I wish I knew," Paul said. "I was only able to get my hands on it the first time through sheer luck. My crew had attacked a Celestial Dragon's envoy, and the metal happened to be in the storage room with the rest of the fucker's treasure. It'll probably be a hell of a challenge to be able to find that stuff ever again."

"Not even I have had many encounters with the metal. It's rarity is on par with the Mystical Devil Fruits."

"Well, shit. Looks like Paulie won't be making that super hammer of his anytime soon."

"No, it does not. No matter. This one will have to do for now." Paul then looked out to sea, and placed his hammer on his shoulder. "And it seems I get to test it sooner than expected.

Vlad, Hoarfen, and Tanya followed their shipwright's gaze. "Nine war ships," Vlad commented. "That leaves a warship for each of us, and three remaining ones for the Chimeras. Did the two of you catch that?"

"Oh, we did indeed, Vladdy," Jack said after appearing behind Vlad seemingly out of nowhere.

"I could use some exercise," Medusa, who walked up from her spot while carrying a bow with a quiver full of arrows, said.

"Megalo?"

"Sir," the Sea Chimera Pack Leader said with a salute.

"Inform the other Pack Leaders. It seems we'll have an 'appetizer' before the 'main course'."

"As you wish, captain." With that, Megalo went down the stairs towards the lower deck to locate the other Pack Leaders.

"Now then." Vlad turned towards the incoming warships. "Let's raise some hell." He then jumped.

* * *

"Alright, men! We're the first line of defense for the New World! Be prepared to capture the pirates on that sh-" The captain didn't get to finish his order.

He was interrupted by the sound of wood snapping. When he looked, he was immediately impaled by Vlad.

Vlad was holding the man's heart while his arm was still through the poor man's chest. He then proceeded to crush the heart, and formed the blood into a sword. He ripped his arm and his new sword out of the marine and proceeded to slash the marines in front of him. This was all done in just under a minute.

The marines tried to fight back with their rifles, but Vlad easily dodged the bullets. He even deflected some of them right back at the heads of the shooters. When he snapped his fingers, the entire bodies of the marines exploded, and took out any unfortunate soldier near it.

Before the marines knew it, the blood on their ship began to attack them like serpents. The screams of horror and anguish could be heard on the other ships.

* * *

One was about to go help, but they themselves felt their ship rock after something landed.

When one marine looked, he was standing face to face with a smiling Hoarfen. Before he could react, Hoarfen blew on his face, freezing it in a block of ice. Hoarfen then ripped the man's head off and kicked the head into the face of another before the body fell. Obviously, the impact of the frozen head killed the other marine immediately.

Marines shot at Hoarfen in fear, but he dodged them by running fast enough to leave afterimages. As the marines shot, Hoarfen tore many of them to shreds with his claws. He made them all scream in horror when he grabbed one of the marines and bit the poor man's left shoulder off. The blood gushed from the wound like a fountain.

As they watched in horror, Hoarfen jumped onto another marine, and proceeded to eat the man's stomach while he was screaming in anguish. Another marine tried to save him by shooting at Hoarfen, but he just jumped out of the way, causing the bullet to hit and kill the victim. Many marines wanted to vomit from the sight of the man's shredded gut. One even did. The poor man was then impaled from the back of his head out of his mouth by Hoarfen's claws.

Hoarfen kicked the corpse off of his claws, slashed the throat out of the closest marine, broke the neck of another with his tail, froze yet another with his breath, and then released a powerful howl that forced many marines to their knees. After his ecstatic howl, he continued to slaughter the marines.

* * *

Tanya wasn't even a blur. She was going so fast that she might as well have been invisible. The marines were terrified, unable to understand why their comrades were falling like flies, their blood spilling everywhere.

"GYAAAAH!"

"Whoops."

The marines looked to see the beautiful Tanya, her claws stuck in a fatter marine.

"Too much blubber. Claws couldn't cut through." She then kicked the marine off of her claws. "Well, guess you fools now know who's killing you guys. Not that it matters, since you're all going to die."

With that, she proceeded to slaughter the marines in the blink of an eye.

* * *

"Hm, very nice."

The marines looked behind them to see Jack looking at... a severed arm.

"AAAAAAHHHH!" They looked behind them to see that one of their comrades was missing an arm. "MY ARM! WHEN THE HELL DID HE TAKE MY ARM?!"

"This leg is also quite nice," Jack said.

A thud was heard. "W-W-WHAT?!" They all looked to see another comrade, missing a leg. "HE TOOK MY LEG!"

"My, what a handsome face," Jack said.

"Eh? When did I get so... I'm so cold. Why am I cold?" The marines looked and were horrified. Jack was now holding a severed head. "Eh?" A thud was heard, and the head looked over towards the sound. "That's my body. What's my body... doing... over. . ." The head lost all color, and his eyes were now blank.

"There are many fine specimens on this ship. More than enough to begin my next project. Yes." Jack then looked at the marines with glowing, white eyes. The marines all felt like they were staring into an abyss. This was no man. This was a soulless monster before them. "My first Homunculus is very close to being formed."

Jack then proceeded to take more "material". Not a single sound of combat was heard from that warship. All that could be heard was the screams of anguish and horror.

Then... nothing.

* * *

The loudest crash was heard on the next warship. "Brace yourselves, men! Riflemen, forward!"

"Sir," a squad of riflemen said as they got in position before their captain. Out of the giant hole in their ship came Paul, his massive hammer resting on his shoulder. "Steady yourselves, men!" Paul never stopped walking, his eyes totally shadowed.

"Ready!" Paul didn't slow down at all.

"Aim!" He didn't even get into a defensive position.

"Fire!" The sound of gunshots was heard.

The bullets shot towards Paul. When they came close enough, one of Paul's eyes was seen. With a single swing of his hammer, the bullets were blown away, along with the rifle squad, and the upper portion of the warship. It was reduced to splinters by the air pressure caused by Paul's inhuman strength.

The captain was shocked. It took literally all of his strength to not be blown away by the wind. Still, he was damaged by the pressure. He felt blood flowing down his cheek, and his uniform was torn from the right shoulder to his lower abdomen.

"With just a swing. That's not possible." The captain then gritted his teeth, drew his sword, and imbued it with haki. "All soldiers, CHARGE!"

All of the marines drew their swords and ran towards Paul. As soon as one was in smashing distance, Paul crushed the marine into a bloody pancake. One tried to attack him, seeing it as a chance. Paul easily grabbed the marine's head before he could even blink, and crushed the man's skull into paste.

Three marines jumped into the air to slash Paul's head. Paul killed all three of them with a swing of his hammer, creating another high pressure gale that killed nearly the entire squad.

The captain was shocked. No, horrified. His entire crew... was slaughtered by one man. "D-DAMN YOU!" Paul looked at the captain with a single, glowing red eye. "SHAVE!" With his haki infused sword, the captain dashed towards Paul at untraceable speeds. He had planned to impale his sword through Paul's heart.

However, Paul shocked the captain by easily capturing him by his head with just one hand. _"Impossible! C-Could he have seen me?! Just how advance is his Observation Haki?! W-What IS he?!"_

Before the captain could worry any more, he saw something that made his blood run cold. Paul released his grip to make the hammer slip further down his hand before gripping it to be closer to the head. He then turned the hammer black with Armament Haki and brought his arm back. Then... he swung his hammer.

Paul completely shredded the man's body from the chest down, actually watching as the now dead captain's heart and lungs fell from his body. Paul released the corpse with a meaty squish, and looked up. His strike destroyed the remaining parts of the warship, meaning it was sinking.

"Well, damn. I over did it."

"LORD PAUL!"

Paul looked up. "Ah, Harpia. You arrived just in time."

Harpia was one of the newest Sky Chimeras. She was created using a Harpy Eagle, one of the strongest bird's of prey in the world. "Please, sir, allow me to take you back to the ship!"

"That would be greatly appreciated, young lass," Paul said as he raised his arm. When he did, Harpia flew down and grabbed the man's arm with her talons. Though Paul was many times her size, she had no trouble lifting the powerful pirate and his hammer, and flew him away from the sinking warship.

* * *

In just a matter of seconds, ten marines were riddled with arrows. "How can anyone draw that quickly?!"

"It doesn't matter! Capture her!"

Marines tried to charge at the smiling Medusa, who had her eyes closed the entire time. She just kept drawing and firing, spinning around in an almost dance-like manner to avoid the swords and the gunshots. No marine could touch her.

Then, one was able to grab her hand. He was about to cuff her, but then made a mistake. He looked up at Medusa, who opened her eyes. Her eyes were so beautiful... at first. Then, the green emeralds became yellow slits. When he looked into her yellow eyes, he literally became stone. Medusa easily broke out of the stone grip, and gently brushed the pebbles off of her wrist.

"I'VE GOT YOU, PIRATE," a marine said as he was about to cut her from behind. However, he had his neck broken after he was slapped in the face by a powerful tail that moved to quickly to even be a blur.

"WHY YOU!"

"You're mine!"

Two marines tried to attack her from both sides, but they were both taken down by Medusa's serpent hair. The bite of her snakes contain extremely lethal poison, and only Medusa could ever produce an antidote for it. Those men would be in agonizing, excruciating, hellish pain for one hour; before finally dying from the poison. It's one of the most horrible ways to die when it comes to poison.

"W-What a horrible Devil Fruit."

"Do not falter! Rifle squad, forward!"

"Sir!"

"Ready! Aim! Fi- ACK!"

The marines were confused.

"My, my, did you think I would not be able to handle that, children?"

"Apologies, Mother Medusa." The rifle squad looked behind them to see their captain being strangled by what they thought was a Zoan user.

"The Boa Model!"

"He has a hold of the captain!"

"But I could not allow this man to give the order to fire at you." The sound of bones shattering was heard. The Chimera then uncoiled from the captain, and watched as his corpse fell limply to the ground.

"Why you-!" Before the marine could fire at the Chimera, he felt his neck being bitten before he was killed from it being snapped.

The other marines looked in time to see their ally get tossed off of the ship, and by who.

"T-The Anaconda Model?!"

"That's impossible! Reports show that the sister of the Pirate Empress has that fruit, and she's still alive!"

"Oh, god, LOOK UP!" The marines did as their ally said, and saw that the sails were swarming with Serpent Chimeras.

"W-What is this? Many of these Zoans have confirmed users that are still alive! HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!"

"FIRE!"

Before the marines could take aim to shoot at the Chimeras, they all fell down towards them, and slaughtered them. It was over in a matter of seconds.

"Oh, my, my. You all seemed to enjoy yourselves," Medusa said with a giggle.

"Mother Medusa, please, allow me to carry you back to the ship," a Black Mamba Chimera offered.

Medusa giggled. "Very well. If you so wish to do so, my child," Medusa answered with a motherly smile.

The Chimera smiled, a light blush on his face. "Well, if you excuse me." The Chimera picked up Medusa in a princess-style, an act that Medusa didn't mind at all. She just gently wrapped her arms around the Chimera, which made the young man blush even more. Then, he jumped off the ship.

He did land, but he noticed something. "Conda?! What are you doing?!"

The Anaconda Chimera looked back at the younger Chimera on his back, who was practically like his younger brother. "You are a fool, Mamba. Did you forget that mother is a Devil Fruit user, and not a Chimera like you or I? The water could severely weaken her."

"Oh, you need not worry for me, Conda."

"But mother-"

"I do not mind getting a little wet. Besides, I am in the safety of not one, but two of my precious sons. I am safe from the dangers of the ocean that despises me." The Chimeras blushed at Medusa's words, especially since they both knew her words were genuine. With blushes on their faces, the two Chimeras swam towards the Crimson Palace with a smiling Medusa.

* * *

When she was safely carried back onto the ship, she made a discovery. "Oh, my. It seems I'm the last to arrive."

"Not technically," Vlad stated. He then pointed out to sea. Medusa followed the direction, and saw the last two warships either blow up or crumble, with legions of Chimeras escaping both ships.

When they reached the ship, many of them went back below deck. However, one didn't, because of Hoarfen.

Hoarfen had grabbed the wrist of a Canine Chimera, a female Golden Retriever Chimera to be precise. She looked nervous when she saw the serious gaze Hoarfen was giving her. "Um... M-Master Hoarfen? Did I do something wrong."

Hoarfen didn't answer immediately. He then looked down at her arm. "Roll up your sleeve."

"Eh? But-"

"That's an order."

The Chimera shivered a bit before hesitantly complying with the order of her superior. Blushing with shame, she rolled up her sleeve to reveal a bloody cut.

"So, even with all the training you have received, you were still struck by a mere marine."

"P-please, forgive me, Master Hoarfen. I know a single scratch is something to be ashamed of, and I have no excuse for my failure. I know I have failed you, and brought shame to the training you have given me and my siblings, but please forgi- EH?!"

The Chimera was given an extreme shock... when Hoarfen licked her wound, cleaning it. "M-MASTER HOARFEN?!"

"Get yourself treated immediately. Your training will be increased in order for you to be improved. That wound is proof that you still have a log way to go, especially now that we have arrived in the New World. Do not allow yourself to be harmed again. Understood?"

The Chimera was blushing out of pure embarrassment... and something else. "Y-Yes, Master."

"Then go. Once you've been patched up, come to me for a new training regiment."

"U-Understood!" With that, the Chimera ran away... while grabbing her cheeks.

Hoarfen just watched with a serious look on his face.

"Well, aren't you a horny mutt?"

Hoarfen jolted at that comment, and glared at Tanya with glowing eyes and a fanged snarl. "The fuck you say, pussy?!"

"I saw the way you looked at that Chimera. Gross. But then again, a mutt should bang a bitch."

Hoarfen got close to Tanya. "I'll carve you into a bits, whore."

"I'd like to see you try, fucker," Tanya said with glowing eyes and a fanged snarl of her own.

Vlad just chuckled at the sight before walking towards the bow, his crew following him. All of them looked out towards the sea, their eyes glowing menacingly. "We're home... and we're definitely going to raise all kinds of hell now that we're back."

"That, we are, captain," said every core member of the Bloody Pirates.

* * *

 **Omake:**

A little girl was walking down the street, looking down, while hugging a book.

"Look, it's that girl."

"Poor thing. Shouldn't we do something?"

"It's best we not get involved."

"But her mother keeps beating her. She still blames her for the death of her husband."

"Hasn't that child suffered enough from the loss of her father?"

"Do what you want, but I'm not going anywhere near that violent drunkard."

The little girl heard all the gossip around her, and began to cry. Wanting to get away from it, she ran towards her house. She closed the door as quietly as she could.

"YOU'RE LATE!"

The girl jumped at the angry voice and looked behind her to see an angry looking woman holding a bottle. The woman would have looked beautiful if it were not for her lifeless eyes.

The woman noticed the book the girl was holding. "What the fuck are you holding?"

"I-It's a medical book. I... I want to be a doctor when I grow up, mother."

The "mother" then slapped the girl's face hard enough to make her fall to the ground. "I DON'T GIVE A SHIT WHAT YOU WANT TO BE! NO ONE DOES! ALL YOU ARE IS A WORTHLESS LITTLE SHIT WHO GOT YOUR FATHER KILLED! YOU CAN'T EVEN MAKE CURFEW! Now go to bed. No dinner for you." The woman then began to walk away while guzzling down her drink.

As she walked away, the girl heard the woman's angry grumbling. "Worthless little bitch. Can't even get home before six. Makes me drink the rest of my booze while waiting. First she kills my husband, now she wastes my time and beer. I wish I never had that little whore."

The girl was crying from her mother's cruel words. It's barely even been a week since they were informed of her father's murder. Her mother blames her for his death, since he went out at night to buy her a book she wanted. The girl also believes it's her fault he died, and actually agrees with her mother.

She actually believes she deserves the abuse.

Tears still flowing, she got up from the floor, picked up her book, and walked towards her room; making sure not to make a peep as to not anger her drunk mother again.

* * *

 **2nd Omake:**

"And you're sure of this," King Neptune asked.

"Yes, father," Prince Fukaboshi responded. The human and his crew who left this island were not the kidnappers of our people. We've located a second ship where they were being stored... as well as the crew that manned it."

"And what of the crew?"

Fukaboshi was silent for a bit. "They are dead."

Neptune didn't respond immediately. "Was it the Fishman District?"

"No. Eye witness reports state it was the human... and a group of four unknown fishmen working under him."

"What?"

"The human killed the leader of the kidnappers in the blink of an eye, and ordered the fishmen to kill the rest. The fishmen in question chose to free the captives."

"So, even though they were slaves to a human, they still care for their people. That's good to know."

"They were not slaves, father."

"Hm?"

"They... were members of his crew."

King Neptune's eyes widened... before they became wet with tears. "So, my old friend is not the only one to see fishmen as equals. For our people to willingly join forces with a human. It seems my late wife's dream was far more than just that."

"There's more news, father." Neptune looked towards his son. "It seems that same human... defeated five fishmen without any trouble whatsoever. A mermaid's testimony stated that he basically mocked them, and instilled fear in their leader, whom she will not identify. What's more... he used physical strength alone."

That shocked Neptune. "A human bested five fishmen with just his strength?!"

"The reports become darker. The owner of a market states that a single female human defeated a group of fishmen in the blink of an eye, while another testimony states that another male human... Another male human... committed an atrocity."

"What did this human do?"

"He... killed the fishmen that attacked him... and ate them."

Neptune was shocked. "What?"

"Father, I have a final report. I personally saw an army of enraged fishman attack the three reported humans and the four fishmen as they prepared to board their ship. The human who defeated the five fishmen, whom I could only assume was their leader, stepped forward. Before the army could reach him, they all fell at his feet."

"Conqueror's Haki."

"Indeed, father. But there's more. The human... knew of my and my brothers' presence, and actually gave us permission to attack him." Fukaboshi then tightened his grip. "But one look into those eyes... those crimson eyes. . . . It was obvious. We had no chance of so much as challenging him, let alone defeating him. That one human alone was far too powerful. No. I can't call him a human. I can only call that creature one thing."

"And what's that, son?"

Fukaboshi was silent for a bit, a cold sweat running down his face, before he looked back up towards his father.

"A Devil."

 **A/N: Well, that took a long time. Good thing no one waits for this fic. I think this chapter had a good amount of gore in it. What did you guys think? Should I have made it more brutal? Eh. What can you do?**


	9. Chapter 9

Vlad was manning the helm as he followed the log pose. It's been a while since the crew surfaced. About a few days. It was enough to reawaken the bloodlust in all of the crew members. The fact that Hoarfen and Tanya seemed to argue more than usual seemed like proof.

In fact, Vlad heard them fighting as he steered the ship.

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

"I'LL FREEZE YOU!"

"I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU TRY, SHITTY MUTT!"

"HERE IT COMES, EXPIRED PUSSY!"

"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU CALLING EXPIRED?!"

An explosion and some snapping wood was heard.

"DAMMIT, YOU TWO," Vlad heard Paul roar. "HOW MANY FUCKING TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU IDIOTS NOT TO DESTROY MY FUCKING SHIP?!"

"TELL IT TO THIS JACKASS," Hoarfen and Tanya roared at the same time. "WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE CALLING A JACKASS, ASSHOLE," they roared before another explosion was heard.

Vlad just ignored the whole thing, concentrating on the course. Then, it happened. "Welcome back, Owlman."

The Chimera bowed after landing behind Vlad. "It's an honor to be back, Captain."

"How was your mission?"

"Successful. I have located an island for sacrifice. You are perfectly on course. A Treasure Island and a New World Base has also been located. They are beyond the sacrificial island, but not too far."

"How long until we reach the island?"

"A day, at least."

An explosion was heard, followed by two bestial roars, and the angered roar of a furious man. "Let's hope the ship can handle the trip," Vlad said with uncaring eyes.

* * *

"T-That'll be thirty berries," said the store clerk nervously... as he sold a little girl some booze.

"T-Thank you," the girl said without looking up even once as she paid. She then took the bottle and bowed before she left. She was about to walk out the door of the store.

"R-Rose!"

Rose jumped before she looked back at the store clerk. "Um... yes?"

The man looked nervous, trying to find the right words to say. "Uh... um..." The man then just sighed in defeat. "Be safe on your way home," he said in a depressed tone, looking down.

Rose looked at the man for a bit... until she gave the man a sad and heartbreaking smile. "Thank you." With that, she left.

* * *

The man was now alone in his store, until his wife walked out of the back of the store. She saw her husband slam a fist onto the counter. "Dammit! To not be able to help that innocent girl. I feel like shit." He then jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

He looked to see it was his wife, smiling kindly at him, with tears in her eyes. "I know how you feel, honey. That girl deserves better, but we can't do anything. I can't count the amount of times I've wish I could just hug that girl, and tell her that everything is going to be better."

The man just looked at his wife before hugging her. "If only he was never murdered. Damn the bastard that killed him. If Johann wasn't killed, Elizabeth would never have become that drunken monster, and remained the kind woman she was before."

"I miss the old Elizabeth. But, I'm sure Rose misses her even more."

* * *

Rose was walking towards her house, keeping the brown bag close to her chest, ignoring the pitiful gazes she was getting.

"That poor girl."

"Mama, what's wrong with that girl?"

"You don't need to know, sweetie."

"Can't we just report this?"

"To who? The Navy wouldn't care about some little girl, unless they placed a bounty on her. Remember Nico Robin?"

"How the hell could anyone believe she destroyed six battle ships at eight years old?"

"Isn't Rose eight?"

"Does it matter?"

"All I care about is how she's suffering."

"Well, not much good that'll do if there's nothing we can do to help."

Rose heard all the gossip and whispers, and it just made her feel worse. Without realizing it, she took off running. It didn't take her long to reach her house. She walked in and lightly closed the door.

She walked into the living room to see her mother sleeping in a chair, a bottle in her hand. Not wanting to wake her up, she quietly took out the bottle and placed it on the table next to her mother.

She took one last look at her mother. When she was asleep, Rose couldn't help but remember her kind, radiant mother. Tears were forming from the memories of the times her mother laughed and played with her. What Rose wouldn't give to be hugged and kissed by her mother again. To hear her say that she loved her again.

Those memories were too much. Rose quietly walked to her room, and closed her door as softly as she could. She then walked to her bed and fell to her knees. She then began to sob on her bed, wishing for her life to go back to the way it was... or at least for it to change for the better.

Then, it happened.

* * *

The towns people were just going on with their daily life. Working, selling, and even arguing. As the people were somewhat enjoying their peaceful life, a roar was heard. It was loud enough to echo throughout the entire island.

"What the hell was that," asked a citizen.

"It came from the forest."

"Isn't that in the direction of the beach?"

A gun being loaded was heard, and one citizen looked to see one of the local hunters loading his shotgun.

"Do you think you need that," the citizen asked.

"Didn't you hear that roar? Whatever made that had to be huge. Anyone who has a gun, a bow, or anything else good for hunting, I'd suggest you grab it!" When the hunter said that, the other hunters, and even a few butchers, went to arm themselves with weapons. Even the baker and his wife came out with rolling pins.

Pretty much everyone had some kind of weapon. Even a little boy was holding an iron pipe, though a woman who had to be his mother ended up dragging him away.

The people waited for something to happen, all of them obviously nervous and even scared.

Then, everyone saw something move in the corner of their eyes. Then, they heard crunching... and gurgling.

Everyone looked to see the hunter getting eaten alive by a wolf. The wolf tore off and ate the man's face before it howled.

One hunter was about to shoot the wolf, but ended up getting tackled. He looked to see a growling dog. He then realized that it had a human body. "A Zoan?!" Before he could do anything, the "Zoan" tore his throat out with his fangs.

Then, countless other creatures ran out of the forest, and started butchering the towns people.

One woman tried to grab one of the dropped guns, but her hand was grabbed by another. She was forcefully pulled up by something with boundless strength. She looked to see the body of a man, but she saw no face. It was completely shadowed, with only red orbs being visible. Then, the man hissed, showing off his pearl white fangs that seemed to glow in his face with an unearthly shine. Before the woman could react, the man plunged his fangs into her neck. She didn't even have time to struggle.

She was nothing more than a lifeless husk in just a matter of seconds.

Many of the people tired to run, but they were being mowed down by an unseen force. Then, one person heard the roar of what sounded like a cheetah. He looked up in time to see a woman pounce onto him, and then saw her swipe at him. That was the last thing the man every saw.

Other hunters tried to take aim at the mysterious woman, but many of them ended up getting shot in the head by arrows. When the hunters looked to see who was firing, they were immediately turned to stone. Some civilians saw this, and screamed when they saw a serpent's tail reduce the statues to rubble. These same civilians were about to run, but found out it was a useless effort when they saw they were surrounded by hissing snake "Zoans".

They thought they saw an opening, and ran towards it. When they got close to the opening, the largest snake "Zoan" appeared before them. It was so large, that all they saw was the tail. When they looked up, they saw a woman's body. When they looked up at the face, the first thing they noticed was that this particular Zoan had live snakes for hair. Then, they looked into the Zoan's eyes.

Those green, slit eyes were the last thing they ever saw.

* * *

A large and muscular hunter wearing a red shirt, black tights and brown boots ran towards a group of his friends with his trusty blunderbuss. They were obviously fighting whatever was attacking his village. He thought they were doing well... until he saw them all fall to bloody pieces.

The one who did it was just a lanky looking man. Physically, his friends should have snapped him like a twig. Yet, the hunter could tell there was something seriously wrong with that man. Especially those eyes and that smile of his. It looked beyond insane. It was like there was no humanity in him whatsoever.

Then, the hunter saw something that made his blood run cold. The man picked up a very short man by his pony tail. The small man happened to be the hunter's closest friend. The little guy was swinging his pudgy legs madly in absolute terror, tears streaming down his face. He even tried to desperately punch the man when he brought a knife out, even though the small man's arms weren't anywhere near the skinny man's face.

Then, the lanky man placed the blade onto the short man's neck, making him released a bloodcurdling scream.

"HELP ME, GAST-AGURH!"

The man's words were garbled... after the murderer slit his throat. Then, he wildly stabbed at at his neck until the body fell from the head. The hunter actually saw the killer shiver... and release a sigh of pleasure. "Ecstasy at it's purest. There is nothing like killing a little lamb when it's most terrified."

"DAMN YOU!"

"Oh?"

The hunter took aim and fired.

Then, he felt a sharp pain in his hand. He looked to see a knife had been plunged into it... and saw the villain who slaughtered his friends. "W-When did you-" The hunter couldn't finish his question, as he was silenced by the pain of the knife in his hand being twisted.

He then felt the bastard kick him in the back of his knee, making him fall. The man then twisted the knife again, making the hunter drop his gun. When he did, the man plunged the knife into the ground, and staked his other hand with another knife. The hunter tried to yank his hands out, but it was almost as if the knives took root into the ground.

Then, the hunter felt his arms being touched. He looked to see the man rubbing his biceps. "Mm, nice. Very nice."

The man then walked around the hunter. "An exceptional body. Most impressive."

The man then squatted before the hunter. "Your body will do just fine. Rejoice, boy. Your body will be the base... for the very first Homunculus." The hunter then saw a white light, and saw the world move.

The world spun around... until he saw his body right in front of him... without a head. "Huh?"

"Take the body back to the ship. Make sure nothing happens to it. Freeze it to prevent the body from decomposing."

"Yes, doctor."

When the hunter heard those words, he saw his body disappear. Then, he felt like he was falling, and hit the ground roughly. As he felt the dirt on his cheek, he felt a shoe on his other cheek. "I no longer have any need for you, my boy."

The next thing the hunter heard was a crunch. Then... he felt, saw, and heard... nothing.

* * *

"Inside! Get inside!"

Villagers were trying to seek refuge inside the bank vault, the safest and strongest area in their village. It took four strong men just to open the safe, and the same amount to close it.

There was barely even twenty civilians. There were a few crying children, but it was mostly women and elders. The only men there were the strong men and two hunters.

"Mama, I'm scared."

"It's alright, sweetie. Everything will be just fine," the mother said with a shaky voice and tears in her eyes.

Then, banging was heard on the safe door, making the kids cry in fear. It was made worse when the sound of several animals roaring was heard. Then, the door started to dent, terrifying everyone.

Without a second thought, the four men ran on and pushed against the door to strengthen it. They could feel the force of the creatures attacking the safe. They could tell there was way too many to fight. If those things got in, everyone in the room would be slaughtered.

Then, the banging stopped, followed by what sounded like defeated roars. After a few seconds of quiet, everyone thought they were safe. But one of the strong men realized something. He placed his ear on the safe.

"Footsteps. Someone's coming!" The other strong men looked at their comrade. "Push against the door! Now!" They all did as they were told.

A few seconds passed.

"Nothing's happening."

A few more seconds passed.

"Wait, I hear something."

"Sounds like groaning wood." Then, a crushing sound was heard, as if the wood was being smashed.

"What the hell was that?!"

"Get ready!" All the strong men held up the safe door with all their strength.

It was of no avail.

In the next second, the door was broken down, and smashed the four men into paste before anyone realized it. Everyone screamed at the sight, especially the civilians that were sprayed by the blood of the men.

They then looked up to see a massive man with muscles even larger than that of the strong men, holding a massive hammer that should be impossible for any man to wield.

Then, the people felt absolute terror when they saw creatures twice the size of the man behind him. The people saw a Bull Zoan, an Ox Zoan, and a Yak Zoan; all looking enraged.

"Release the rage within you," the man said.

When he did, the three "Zoans" roared and charged. The sound of bones crushing, blood splattering, and screams was heard. The "Zoans" showed no mercy. They crushed the children beneath their hooves, tore the elders in half with their bare hands, and crushed the women into the walls with charges.

Among the Chimeras, the ones under Paul's command were arguably the most powerful and the most aggressive. They were one of the Chimeras that needed the sacrifice the most, in order to release the rage within them. It was either that, or start a scene on the ship.

Though they were the angriest of the Chimeras, they were not idiots. They knew that if they caused any trouble on the ship, any one of the pirates they served under would easily slaughter them. The one they feared the most was obviously Vlad. Their animal instincts told them he was the Apex Predator.

The only other being they feared besides their captain was their master, Paul. They knew if they started anything around him, or worse, destroyed the ship in any way, he would literally tear them limb from limb with just his bares hands. They've all seen Paul's all but impossible strength. They knew that even if they all attacked him at once, they would be absolutely no match for him.

As Paul walked around the carnage, stepping on the blood puddles and mangled body parts, he checked to see if there was any survivors. He was pleased to see there was not one. "Very good, boys. You finish the job you've started. That is an essential part of being a blacksmith. You must never leave a project unfinished."

The Chimeras all bowed before their master. "Thank you, Master Paul," the three said in unison.

Paul smirked as he walked over to the cabinets. He thought he might as well take some treasure to start the New World Treasure Island Vlad wants to make.

When he opened the first cabinet, his eyes widened in shock. "It... can't be."

Paul reached in, and grabbed a very large, speckled stone. "On such a little island. And the very first island we landed on in the New World." Paul smirked. "How fortuitous."

Paul then looked at his hammer. "Looks like I'll be able to remake my hammer faster than I could have possibly imagined."

* * *

Hoarfen was dissatisfied. He was glad that he got to eat the first villager, but the others are being butchered by his comrades, and he hates intruding on other peoples fun. He wanted to hunt alone. On that end, he started to head towards the outskirts of town.

He smiled when he found a house. He took a whiff of the air, and grew a mad grin. "A woman."

Without hesitating, he sped towards the house and sliced through the door.

"What the hell," a woman yelled. "Who the fuck is in my-" A beautiful woman stormed out of the living room with a bottle in her hand. When she saw Hoarfen, she froze in terror. Though he wasn't in either his hybrid or wolf form, he was still terrifying... since he was covered in blood.

"Ooh, you look delicious."

Before the woman realized it, she was slammed onto the wall. She felt like she was glued to it, and saw that Hoarfen was holding her down with just one hand. She began to shake in fear when Hoarfen began to sniff her. "You reek of alcohol. . . . Nice. I actually don't mind alcoholic meat." The woman began to tear up when Hoarfen actually licked her from her bust to her neck. "Makes my meal that much more flavorful."

The woman thought for sure Hoarfen was there to rape her, until she looked into his eyes. She didn't see the eyes of a man looking to satisfy his lustful urges. She didn't even see the eyes of a man at all.

She saw the eyes of a beast looking at it's food.

"Now then..." The woman felt absolute dread when she saw Hoarfen grow fangs. "LET'S EAT!"

"WAIT!"

Hoarfen actually stopped. "Huh?"

"I HAVE A DAUGHTER!"

"Oh?"

"IF YOU LET ME LIVE... I'LL LET YOU EAT HER!"

Hoarfen's eyes widened. He was genuinely shocked. Then, he chuckled. "Not a bad deal." The woman actually looked hopeful. "I actually enjoy eating kids. They're so soft and chewy. It's almost like eating gum. It's actually kinda fun, chewing on them. They also have a pretty sweet flavor. Yeah, kids really are tasty."

"T-Then... do we have a d-deal?"

"Hm. . . . . . No."

"WHAT?!"

"Oh, don't worry. Your kid's dessert." Hoarfen's eyes then began to glow. "But you're way too good of a main course to pass up. Thanks for the food!"

The woman then screamed as Hoarfen began to eat her, starting with her lips and mouth. Then, he started to eat her breasts, working his way to her heart. He was greatly enjoying his meal, until he heard a door slam. He knew it came from the back of the house.

"Heh, the little one is trying to run away. Well, no matter. I'll find her. But, one must never waste food. Especially when the food is this delicious." Hoarfen then went back to eating the remains of the woman.

* * *

" _I HAVE A DAUGHTER!IF YOU LET ME LIVE, I'LL LET YOU EAT HER!"_

The words of her mother echoed in Rose's mind. She ran as fast as she could, heartbroken that her mother would so willingly sacrifice her just to save herself. She just ran, eyes shut, and tears flowing. She just ran as fast as she could.

Then, she ran into something. It felt strong, but it wasn't a tree. It felt too warm... and she could feel clothes. When she opened her eyes, she saw the legs of a man.

The worst thought came to her mind. She slowly looked up to see a tall man. All she saw was his body so far, and she could already tell he was extremely powerful.

Then, she looked up at the man's face.

It was completely shadowed, with only red orbs being visible. She felt like she was staring at Death itself. No, at the Devil himself.

She felt absolute terror when the being before her reached out. She shut her eyes tight, waiting for death. Then, she felt... something pleasant. A loving hand on her head.

She opened her eyes to see the most handsome man she had ever seen. The man looked at her for a bit before giving a kind smile. He then stood up and walked away. As he walked, he spoke: "Follow me."

Without any hesitation, Rose followed the man.

* * *

After a short walk, the two had reached the beach on the other side of the island. On the shores was a boat, ready with a few supplies in it.

"Use this boat to escape." The girl looked up at the man, and saw him look at the log pose. "Just keep moving forward. Do not change your course for any reason. The island you would land on will have virtually no conflicts. Try to survive and rebuild your life there."

Rose was confused. She walked over towards the boat, and was about to climb in. "Why?"

"Hm?"

She turned to the man. "Why are you helping me?"

"Because I chose to do so."

"WHY!? WHY JUST ME?! ALL THOSE PEOPLE! THOSE INNOCENTS! I CAN TELL BY JUST LOOKING THAT YOU'RE STRONG! SO WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE ANY OF THEM?!"

"Because I chose not to."

"Eh?"

"I choose who I save and who I kill. Do you know why I can do that?" Rose didn't answer. She was too shocked by the what the man had said so far.

The man then raised a fist. "It's because I am strong. It's because I have power. It's because I AM power." Rose's eyes widened at the reasoning.

"This I say to you: This world is governed by power. Those who have true power can do whatever they please. And only those with power can take down others with power. When the weak want power, they come together until they are strong enough to challenge one with near ultimate power. Power is what decides everything in this world. Those who have power has the world in the palm of their hand. That, my child, is why I decide who to save and who to kill. And that is why I decide to save you."

Rose was quiet for a bit. "That's... just selfish."

"Indeed. Power is not a selfless thing. Power is addictive. The more a being takes hold of it, the more they crave it. Power corrupts all. No one is immune to it's hold, not even those with the purest of intentions. In the end, the allure of power will always win."

Rose was quiet again. "Then I ask you, o powerful one," Rose began as she looked into the man's eyes. "Why would one as powerful as you... save one as powerless as me?"

"Powerless? You believe yourself to be so?" Rose was surprised by the question. "Everyone has a bit of power within them. It's what they chose to do with it that defines them. Some are born with immense power, enough to shape the very world itself. Others are born with virtually no power, and chose to remain weak in this brutal world. Yet, there are those, born with no power, that grow to amass immeasurable power. Power that rivals those born with great power, or even surpass them."

"And... you believe I'm like that?"

"Maybe I do. Maybe I do not. That is for you to decide. Will you live with the power you have been given? Will you try to cultivate more power for yourself? Will you find people who will share their power with you, and you share your power with them? I cannot tell you. I cannot decide your fate. Power can control many things in this world. The will of humanity is not one of them. The will of humans..." The man then looked up into the sky. "Is for someone much greater to influence. And I am not that being."

Rose stared at the man, wondering what he meant, and what he was looking at.

The man then looked back at Rose. "Go. Live your life. Make your own decisions. Survive in this ugly... yet beautiful world." Rose looked at the man for a bit, then started to push the boat into the water.

"Child." Rose stopped for a moment, without looking back. "This is not our last meeting. Our paths will cross again someday." Rose didn't respond. She just pushed the boat into the water, and jumped in, letting the current carry her boat to the next island.

"And when that day comes, I pray that either you or one of your future friends will have the power necessary to kill me, Young Rose."

Rose's eyes widened. Not once had she mentioned her name, and what she heard disturbed her. She wanted to yell at the man that she would never want to kill him. Yet, when she looked, she saw no trace of him. Though, she did see something. Right at the spot she last saw the man stand.

There, she saw... red sand.

* * *

Tanya had slashed one of the last surviving villagers in half with her claws, looking at the corpse with cold eyes and a pleased smirk. "Hm? You seem satisfied for some reason. Did something good happen, Vlad?"

She had sensed her captain land behind her, even though he didn't make a sound.

"In a way, I suppose something did."

"That's good to hear," Hoarfen said with his mouth full as he walked up eating a liver.

"Ugh, you really are revolting. You could at least swallow your food before opening that disgusting mouth of yours, mutt," Tanya lectured.

"You mean like this?" Hoarfen then opened his mouth. Since he had already swallowed his "food" during Tanya's lecture, he just let his tongue hang out as he positioned himself in a way to make Tanya look down his throat.

"Yeah, since I can now easily RIP YOUR FUCKING TONGUE OUT," she roared as she actually tried to do so.

Yet, Hoarfen was able to catch her attack. "Like hell you can, you fucking banana slug."

"SLUG?! Oh, that's it."

The two then started to exchange blows after Hoarfen swallowed the rest of the liver whole. Their attacks sliced through the buildings with the air pressure from their deadly strikes. Their attacks caused many of the body parts around them to fly around and the blood on the ground to splatter onto other structures. Vlad even had to catch a head that was sent flying towards him.

Actually, he even had to catch a severed arm, and went so far as to use the same arm to literally home-run another head sent flying to him. He even shaded his eyes to see how far the head went.

After a few minutes, Vlad snapped his fingers. This one act was enough to stop the two hybrid Zoans' fight. The two looked at their captain as they reverted back to their human forms. "It's time to go. The others have already reached the ship." With that, Vlad walked back to the ship, with Hoarfen and Tanya following him.

The two were glaring at one another the whole time, so they didn't notice how Vlad was stepping in more blood puddles than they were.

"Oh, hey Vlad, did you see a little girl around town? Probably has brown eyes and burgundy hair," Hoarfen asked.

"Lives in the outskirts of town with her mother who tried to sell her out to you in order not to get eaten herself?"

"Oh, man. The only way you'd know that is if-"

"I drank her blood."

"Then she's dead."

"Yup."

"Fuck. I wanted to have her for dessert."

"Sorry."

Of course, Vlad was lying. He knows Hoarfen. If he knew Rose was still alive, he'd actually travel throughout the entire New World to find and eat her, and Vlad couldn't have that. No way is he going to lose his most powerful crew member, as well as have his plans ruined.

Though, he really did drink some of Rose's blood.

It happened when he placed his hand on her head. With his own blood, he drank Rose's with a blood needle as small as a mosquito's. Rose didn't feel a thing. Vlad didn't take much, but he took enough to know her name and her past. Her past was a reason he spared her at all. A minor reason, but a reason all the same. The main reason he spared her was because of the vision he had of her when he first saw her.

The memory of what he saw was enough to make him smile, despite Hoarfen and Tanya's bickering behind him.

* * *

In a matter of minutes, the Crimson Palace was sailing away from the sacrificial island.

"So, where to next, Vladdy," Jack asked as he steered the ship. No answer came, which was odd for Vlad. "Vladdy?"

The resident doctor used his Observation to locate Vlad. He found his captain at the stern of the ship. Jack went over too see what Vlad was doing.

He wasn't the only one. The other core members went to see what he was doing there as well.

"Yo, Vlad, what are you doing," Hoarfen asked.

"Oh, just finishing the sacrifice." When Vlad said that, he raised both hands high in the air.

When he did that, the crew saw all the blood on the island fly up into the sky. Along with the blood, debris flew up as well, along with the body parts of all the murdered civilians. The pirates noticed how everything sucked into the blood sphere became blood itself, and caused the sphere to grow. It grew bigger with each passing second, until it was as large as the island itself.

"Red Death: Crimson Erasure."

When Vlad said that, he brought his hands down. The giant sphere of blood shot to the island, and actually exploded. A red mushroom cloud occurred before quickly disappearing. When it was gone, there was nothing there. No sign of the island whatsoever. The only thing that was there was blood red water.

"Damn. I knew you were strong Vlad, but this is a whole other level," Hoarfen said.

"I've never seen anyone powerful enough to destroy an island like that," Tanya said.

"The Emperors have the power to decimate an island, but to erase it off the face of the Earth? Only the late Whitebeard and the Navy's Buster Call is known for such feats. You truly are an awesome being, Vladdy," Jack said, his eyes glued to the crimson water.

"It's been a while since I've seen you do that, Vlad," Paul said.

"Didn't you say that was one of the techniques that takes quite a bit of stamina to perform," Medusa asked.

"It is. I call it the Red Death series. They're some of my most powerful, deadly, and dangerous attacks. They all take a tremendous amount of blood, time, and energy. They're my trump cards."

"And they're damn awesome," Hoarfen said. "With power like that, I'm surprised you weren't the first Pirate King."

"Don't be. Like I said, I need an incredible amount of both time and blood to use just one of those techniques. I'm also usually left wide open, so anyone who isn't terrified of my haki would be able to attack me."

"Someone like Roger or Whitebeard, you mean," Paul said.

"Exactly. Anyway, that's enough about me and my powers. We have a base to locate. As well as a new treasure island."

"About that, captain." Vlad looked to see Owlman behind his crew, bowing like a ninja before his lord. "As I have stated before, I have located two islands perfect for such things, and they're not too far apart."

"Oh, that's correct. Because of all the fun and excitement, I actually forgot. Then you will steer the ship in the direction of the islands. You now have full control over the course of the Crimson Palace."

"I will not fail you, captain."

"I know you won't. Now then, set sail!"

"Yes, captain," cried every member of the Bloody Pirates.

* * *

As the ship sailed to it's next destination, Vlad was standing against the rails of the ship, staring out at sea, remembering Rose.

When he saw what had ran into him, he really was about to kill her. He had planned on leaving no survivors, lest one reports his whereabouts to the Navy before he was ready to challenge them. Yet, when he was about to kill her quickly and painlessly, one of his visions occurred.

He saw Rose's future.

She would grow into a beautiful woman, and a brilliant doctor at that. Through a great trial, she would have found friends she would be able to rely on. Friends that would sacrifice all for her. They were all quite young, compared to her. Mere adolescents to her mature young adulthood. Yet, they were all powerful.

One of them caught his attention the most. Their captain. A beautiful young girl with long, raven, black hair; clear, ocean blue eyes; a giant, happy smile; and fair skin. In many ways, she resembled the "Pirate Empress" that Vlad read about in the newspaper during Whitebeard's death.

He realized why when he remembered the child's name:

"Monkey. D. Boa. Thea. I wonder... could you be the one I've been searching for... all this time? I suppose we will have to wait and see, won't we, my little Rose?"

* * *

On an unknown island, Rose's eye popped open as she felt something. She somehow knew someone was talking about her. She then looked down to see the red apple in her hand. She plucked it off of a tree from what looked like farmland.

She stared at the red fruit, unable to compare the color to anything other than the man's eyes. Not once had he left her mind. Just thinking about him brought tears to her eyes.

With her stomach growling, and her eyes shut tight with tears flowing down, Rose took a big bite out of her apple.

It was... delicious.

 **A/N: I'm pretty sure this is my shortest chapter in this fic. It also feels a bit rushed. Meh.**


	10. Chapter 10

Out on the waves of the New World is a mysterious island surrounded by a dark mist. If one were to enter the mist, the first thing they would see would be a magnificent, yet terrifying castle. This castle would be tall enough to touch the very sky, with an aura of absolute power, allowing the viewer to know that its lord was a terrifying being.

Then, they would see creatures flying around the great, stone home. These creatures were far larger than regular birds, but not nearly as massive as the giant birds of the world. If one looked closely enough, they would see humanoid characteristics of the birds. Ones first thought would be that it was a Zoan user... until they saw a flock of the same creature, ruling out the possibility of the Devlin Fruit.

If you were to get close enough to the land, you would see glowing eyes in the darkness of the trees, watching you. Should you look down into the waters, you would also see glowing eyes beneath the dark waves.

A foolish mistake would be to attack the waters or the trees.

If you were to attack the trees, beasts of legend would charge from the darkness, and attack your ship. Before you were ripped to shreds, you would have thought the beasts were running on both the sea and even the sky to reach you.

If you were to shoot at the water, the eyes would disappear. But do not believe you have driven off the mysterious creatures. For your ship will begin to creak. You will hear the sound of wood groaning, bending, and snapping. Then, your ship would be dragged underwater before you have time to even blink.

You would not even be able to resurface, for you will feel yourself be dragged into the depths. Most do not see what had killed them, but the few who did honestly saw Fishmen dragging them into the darkness of the ocean floor.

If by some miracle, you escape either of these onslaughts, your life is not spared. As you try to escape, you will hear a screech from the sky. Once you look up into the sky, you will see what you thought were Zoans descend upon you, and cut you to ribbons with their mighty talons.

Of all these fates, only two kinds of sailors are attacked immediately by the birds: the unwelcomed marines and pirates oozing greed.

No marine may enter, for these creatures do not trust the marines. These creatures were all once human, but they were all slaves. Or, they have all had something precious stolen from them, and the marines did nothing. Some of them even saw marines actually stand by and salute, bow, or grovel before the thief. That thief was a Celestial Dragon.

The marines have failed these creatures time and time again, so they all feel the most bitter hatred towards all who wear the uniform of the World. For all who serve the World Government. Even if they sense no evil from the hearts of the marine, they will not be spared, for there is much on the island that is precious to them; and they know that the marines will fight to steal it from them.

Some of the creatures were also slaves to pirates. Their money, family, treasures, and even their own purity and freedom have been stolen from them by pirates. They are far more lenient to those who oppose the law for just purposes but will kill any that have a heart filled with sin. A heart of greed, violence, gluttony, and lust.

They will take the lives of truly evil pirates, but not all that enter their home. It would be unjust of them to do so, for their new lives were given to them by a pirate. Their home is protected by this very pirate and his powerful crew. Under his protection, they live happily in peace with those they love and will protect their home in any situation. They know full well that they and their families are safe on this island under the powerful pirate's protection.

For this island is the home of that very pirate. It is the home of The Bloody Devil, Vladimir Tepes, as well as the main base of the Bloody Pirates.

* * *

It took only two months for the island to be made in Vlad's image. Paul and his workers built the castle in a matter of days. After that, they went to work on making the large island a home for all of the Chimeras around the castle. There was more than enough wood and stone on the island to create safe and strong homes for the Chimeras and their human families.

* * *

Though the Chimeras relinquished their humanity, they did not abandon their family. Many had to fight in entire wars to save their loved ones. Others had to fight against ships that held Celestial Dragons to save their kin. Many lost their lives in these situations, yet they were still able to save their loved ones and placed them into the hands of the Bloody Pirates.

If the Chimera lived, and the family still recognized the warrior and truly wanted to be with the one they loved, Vlad would give them these choices: become a Chimera and fight for the new life you've been given or keep your humanity and work to better the home that you've been allowed to live in.

Though the choices seemed simple, they both had consequences. If you were to become a Chimera, you would be thrown into battle, and your life could be taken at any second.

If you were to keep your humanity but refused to work, you would be killed by Vlad himself instantly, for Vlad despises those who asks for everything, yet gives nothing in return. To live on the acts of others while doing nothing in return is no different from a parasite in Vlad's eyes, and the only parasites he needs are the Blood-Sucking Class Chimeras.

Most of the rescued families chose to remain human and did their best to better their new home. Some were intelligent teachers that educated the youths, both human and Chimera. Others were skilled doctors that healed both the sick and the wounded. Few were brilliant inventors that created gadgets that improved the lives of many. There were even some architects, and with the help of the Building Class Chimeras, built homes and business for the island, even underground for the Nocturnal Class Chimera.

If one was paralyzed, they need only go to Jack. Through means known only to him, and for an unknown price, Jack would cure them of their ailment in what only the other doctors could call magic, since not even they were allowed to watch Jack's work, nor could they ever hope to recreate anything close to what he can do with what they currently have.

Jack could also give sight to those who asked with a simple transplant. Thanks to the Chimeras that protected the island, there were many "donors".

The deaf had many uses, such as cooking, cleaning, and assisting; for hearing was not an absolute necessity to do most of those activities.

All in all, everyone who lived on the island had a use, in one way or the other. It's true that many of the residents still feared Vladimir for numerous reasons, but they were still grateful to be under his rule. There is no other place they would rather be than in what they could only call a Utopia. They could think of no better place in which to start a new life.

Well, a very few could think of a place to at least compare to.

* * *

Vlad was in the castle's incredible library, making plans for his next course of action when he heard something. It was faint, but it sounded like singing. It was coming from outside one of the library's window. It was getting louder as time passed.

Then, some singing paper airplanes flew around Vlad.

 **La-la-la-la! La-la-la-la! La! La! Laaaaaaa!**

 **You've been inviiited**

 **You've been invited**

 **La la la la la la laaaaaaa**

Vlad stood there with bored eyes as he stared at the singing paper airplane. "Okay. What have I been invited to?"

"VLAD!" He looked to see Hoarfen running into the library, covering his ears as he ran away from another singing airplane. "WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?! WHAT THE HELL ARE THESE ANNOYING THINGS?! I FREEZE AND SHATTER ONE, AND ANOTHER FLIES INTO MY FUCKING ROOM!"

"You really are an idiot, mutt," Tanya said as she walked in with another airplane following her.

"Not now, Cat Piss," Hoarfen roared as he tried to slash at the airplane.

"I'm actually quite surprised," Jack said as he walked in with an airplane following him as well. "I would never expect that little old me would be invited to a famous Big Mom Tea Party."

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "A what?"

"Right. You've been in Impel Down longer than any of us," Medusa said as she walked in with an airplane.

"She's one of the Four Emperors of the Sea, the Yonkos," Paul said as he also walked in with an airplane.

"We've all been invited," Jack said giddily.

"OH, LA-DI-FUCKING-DA," Hoarfen roared as he ripped up his plane. "The last thing I want to do is go anywhere near that crazy bitch. Besides, I've got bad blood with that Sweet Commander, Cracker."

"Ooh, I like him already," Tanya said with a smile.

"FUCK YOU!"

"But you know how dangerous it is to deny one of her invitations, don't you, Hoarfen," Medusa asked with legitimate concern.

"Ah, my entire family's dead, and I don't have anyone precious to me. She's got no one's head to send me."

"Head," Vlad asked with confusion. "Okay, Jack? An explanation, please."

"Of course, Vladdy. It is said that the Devil himself will come to one of Big Mom's Tea Party if invited. If for some reason, you miss the appointed party, Big Mom will send you the head of the one closest to you as punishment."

"Hm. What a simple yet effective punishment. This Big Mom is quite the interesting character. What's her real name? Do you know?"

"Oh, but of course, Vladdy. Her true name is Charlotte Linlin."

Vlad's eyes widened at the name. "Linlin?"

"Hm? Is something the matter, Vlad," Tanya asked.

"Nothing important," Vlad said immediately. "Anyway, about this Tea Pa-"

 **You've been invited! You've been invited**

 **How Lucky, how lucky**

 **You are, you are**

 **To come to a Land**

 **Of Wonder, of Joy**

 **You've been invited**

 **To come to the Land**

 **To come to Tottoland**

 **Tottoland, Tottoland**

 **A World of Wonder, A Land of Joy**

 **Where all can live as one**

 **Come to our Land, come to our Land**

 **Come to Tottoland**

As the planes continued to sing, Vlad grabbed the one that was specifically sent to him. He kept his eye on it the entire time. He unfolded the paper and stopped the singing by flicking the face. He read the note to himself. Once he was done, he soaked the paper with his blood and destroyed it. He then proceeded to destroy the rest of them with just a flick of his hand.

Hoarfen sighed in relief. "Oh, it's good to have you as the captain, Vlad. That damned singing was getting on my nerves. So, we're gonna reject it, right? That giant whore's invite, I mean."

"No. We're actually going, even you."

"WHAT?! OH, COME ON, VLAD!"

"Enough."

Hoarfen actually shuttered when Vlad said that. The last thing he wants to do is annoy his captain. He respects the man too much. That, and he knows he's no match for him, in both a fair and a dishonorable fight. "Y-Yeah."

Tanya snickered. "It's good to see a dog whipped," Hoarfen growled at her.

Vlad then walked towards the entrance of the library but stopped when he was a few feet away. "Megalo, Owlman, Shadow Wolf; appear!"

All three Chimeras appeared before Vlad in the blink of an eye, all bowing before the powerful pirate. "Sir!"

"Our crew's core members are disembarking, myself included."

"Do you wish for us to accompany you, sir," Megalo asked.

"No. Of all the Pack Leaders, you three are the most powerful. That's why you've all been given the title of Alpha Pack Leaders. You three are at the top of command in the Chimera Hierarchy, which is why I am leaving the island in your care during our absence." None of the Chimeras reacted at first, but Vlad could sense that they were not pleased with the order.

Of all the Chimeras, these three were some of the ones who respected Vlad and his crew the most. It's one of the main reasons Vlad gave them as much authority as he did. Now, he's basically giving them the keys to the kingdom, but none of them were in any kind of joy to receive such power. Lesser men would jump at the chance to rule. Vlad... was pleased with his greatest soldiers.

"You have full permission and authority to do as you wish. You can and must do what is necessary to preserve the order of our island. Your words are law. Your orders are final. Should anyone disobey you for any reason, you have every right to execute under the pretext of treason. Understand?"

"Understood. We will not fail you," all three said.

"I am well aware. None of you have failed me as of yet. However, I have a single concern, and that is with you, Shadow." The Chimera kept his head down. "Are you able to handle your duties? You have only been discharged this morning."

"My Lord-"

"Captain."

"Yes. Apologies, Captain. I am honored that you show such concern for me. It is true that I suffered severe injuries during the rescue of my daughter. In fact... I myself know that my time as a soldier is limited." Shadow Wolf looked at the palm of his hand. "The body that Master Jack has blessed me with has started to deteriorate after that gruesome battle. It almost seems the fight reminded my body of its natural age and is forcing it to all but shut down. However, I can not retire as of yet... not until my successor is truly ready to take my place."

"Your successor," Vlad asked with a raised eyebrow. Then, the realization hit him. "Ah. Ratel."

"Ooh, my little Honey Badger," Jack said with excitement. "She really was one of the best of my latest artworks, alongside Tiger and Pangolin. A feisty little devil, that one, even before her surgery. Ooh, I do remember that you actually volunteered to train her, Wolfy."

"I did, indeed, Master Jack. She has tremendous power, incredible durability, extreme agility, and immeasurable potential. In fact, in due time, I have no doubt that she will greatly surpass me. However, she lacks discipline. I wish for her to be a great warrior... and a proper soldier before she replaces me as the newest Alpha Pack Leader."

"I see. I'm sure she will be magnificent under your tutelage, Wolf. However, would you be able to guarantee her loyalty to our crew," Vlad asked with stern eyes.

"I can, sir. For I know for a fact that she lo-" Wolf immediately stopped talking.

"Hm? Is something the matter, Wolf?"

"Apologies, sir. I just had a flashback of one of my training sessions with Ratel. Though she is quite brash, and it bit temperamental, I can honestly say that she is loyal to a fault. She especially respects you, Captain."

"Does she, now?"

"She does. You are the one who saved her."

"Hm. I suppose I was. I also got to kill that hideous tub of lard noble that bought her. It was a win-win for both of us: she got her freedom and a new home, while I got to rid the world of one more unneeded maggot."

"And she will never forget her debt to you, sir. It's why she wanted to become a Chimera, to better serve you. She especially wants to do better since she received training from you yourself."

"All I did was teach her some basic martial arts and how to use everything to her advantage. You are still her only true teacher, Wolf. Remember that."

"Sir!"

"Now then, we're off. Let's go."

Hoarfen groaned. "Yeah. Sure. Let's go to the place that smells so sweet, it literally makes me wanna puke."

"I can't believe there's actually something we agree on, Mutt."

"I wouldn't mind dissecting at least one child of Big Mom."

"I'd advise against that, Jack," Medusa said. "You know how vengeful she can get when one of her own is defeated."

"I thought that was only for her Sweets Generals," Paul said.

"Either way, we are not going there to fight," Vlad said. "So, everyone, at least try a TINY bit to be on your best behavior."

"Yeah, yeah," Hoarfen said.

"Of course," Tanya and Medusa said.

"You need not worry about this gentleman, Vladdy."

"I'll at least try, old friend," Paul said.

That was the last thing said by the leaders of the Bloody Pirates before they left the library.

* * *

The Alpha Pack Leaders stood up and looked towards the door after they heard it shut.

Then, Megalo sighed. "You really are bad at keeping secrets, Wolf."

"I blame my old age."

"You were about as old as I was when you got your surgery, and I was in my Golden Years. This surgery pretty much gives us our youth back."

"I'm made from a canine. We don't tend to last long. And if you haven't forgotten, I was struck in the head during that raid."

"Still," Owlman started. "Young Ratel would be furious with you if you had told Lord Vlad about her feelings towards him."

"And I certainly wouldn't help you. Last time we tried to calm her down, it didn't end so well." Megalo then pulled up the sleeve on his right arm, showing the scar of when Ratel slashed him.

Wolf sighed. "That child is a real handful. What's worse is that she'll probably never fulfill the mission of the Chimeras."

"Will any of us," Owlman asked. "We all respect Lord Vlad far too much to ever want to kill him."

"Well, not ALL of us. There is one who might want to kill him," Wolf said.

"You mean Pangolin, don't you," Megalo said.

"But he's mentally ill," Owlman said.

"It's his mental illness that makes him more likely to want to kill Lord Vlad. You know as well as I do that he goes ballistic whenever he sees someone harm nature, such as trees or plants. He goes especially mad when he sees someone step on daffodils," Wolf explained.

"He even attacked Lord Vlad when he accidentally stepped on a single daffodil," Owlman said.

"The look in his eyes," Megalo said. "He didn't even recognize Lord Vlad or anything for that matter."

"But did you see the look in Lord Vlad's eyes," Owlman asked. "He looked..."

"Pleased," all three APLs said.

"I still can't believe that man was able to land a hit on Lord Vlad," Owlman said.

"I'm amazed by how far he sent him flying," Wolf said. "He was smashed through four boulders and three trees. He was only stopped by the mountain."

"That was proof. Pangolin is undoubtedly the most powerful Chimera to date," Megalo said. "Not even our strength can compare."

"Yet, he's still no match for Lord Vlad," Wolf said.

"The fact that he froze in terror before Lord Vlad's overwhelming will is a testament to that," Megalo said.

"It has long been confirmed that Lord Vlad had Conqueror's Haki," Owlman started before looking down. "But that wasn't Conqueror's."

"No, it wasn't," Megalo said, also looking down. "It was something... darker. Something even greater."

"It was beyond the will of a king or a conqueror," Wolf said as he looked down. "It was the will..."

The Chimera Leaders then looked at one another. "Of the Devil," they all said in perfect unison.

* * *

The Crimson Palace was sailing peacefully, without so much of a single disturbance... until...

"BLEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH," Hoarfen said dramatically. "That horrifically sweet scent. Ugh. I wanna-" Hoarfen's cheek then puffed out... before he actually puked over the rails. "Aw, my lunch. . . . I thought I chewed the eyes."

"You really are pathetic, Mutt," said... a nasal Tanya?

Hoarfen looked behind him. His eyes popped open before he howled with laughter. "NICE PIN, PUSSYCAT!"

"Fuck you," Tanya said nasally since she had a clothespin pinching her nose. "I can't stand this stench. I'm surprised you can handle it so well, Medusa. You're a Zoan yourself, aren't you?"

"A Mythical Zoan, to be more precise," she said as she peacefully strummed away at her guitar. "Indeed, my senses are as sensitive as yours, but I honestly don't mind this. I honestly enjoy the sweet taste of the air." She even flicked out a forked snake tongue to emphasize her point.

"Blech. You're on your own, sis," Hoarfen said. "Oh, what I wouldn't give to smell something good."

"Hoarfen?"

"Hm? Yeah, Vla-" As soon as Hoarfen turned towards the voice of his captain, Vlad quickly drew his thumb across his bottom lip. "Huh? What was thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaooooooooooo... that's the stuff. Oh, god, you're blood's intoxicating." Vlad had bitten his thumb, drawing blood. That's what he drew onto Hoarfen's face: his own blood.

"Anything for a crewmate. Want some Tanya," he asked while showing Tanya his still bleeding thumb.

"Between smelling Big Mom's disgusting islands full of sweets and your blood," Tanya asked while walking towards her captain.

"Gimme that," she said as she grabbed Vlad's wrist while throwing off the pin. She then pulled Vlad's thumb across her lips and smacked them together. She looked like she was wearing lipstick. "Ah. Much better."

"Hm."

"Vladdy!" He looked to see his doctor at the helm. "We're closing in on Whole Cake Island! And it seems we have some escorts!" Vlad looked to see three ships, each had some powerful auras.

The ship stopped when it came close to the ships. On the center ship, a large and muscular man with a head shaped like a club symbol on a card stepped forward. "I am Oven, fourth eldest son of Big Mom! State your business!"

Vlad looked at the man before walking up to the bow. "I am Vladimir Tepes, otherwise known as the Bloody Devil."

"Oh? So you're the man we've been hearing so much about."

Vlad raised an eyebrow. It's true that he's killed plenty of nobles and royals since his escape, but he's never left any obvious signs of his existence. Most of his victims look like they were torn apart by wild animals, which some technically were. He's also killed any reporter that was unfortunate enough to see his face. He should, by all accounts, not even exist.

"You're here for Mama's Tea Party, right?"

"That is correct."

Oven smirked. "It's been said that the Devil himself will leave Hell in order to come to Mama's party. Now it's finally true. Come. We'll dock at the closest port to Mama's castle." With that, the ships turned away, followed by the Crimson Palace.

* * *

After the ships docked, the Bloody Pirates followed Oven through the town.

"Hey, look at them," a citizen said.

"That man behind Lord Oven is so handsome."

"The man with blue hair looks so wild. So cool," a teenage girl said.

"Whoa. That woman with the red lipstick is seriously hot," a teenage boy said.

"Oh, such elegant beauty. And she seems to be a practitioner of the musical arts. Look at how she carries her guitar so gently," a gentleman said.

"Hm, that man seems to be malnourished. He seems far too thin," said a woman in a doctor's coat.

"Then it's a good thing he came here, huh," asked another woman next to the doctor. "He could use some decent food. Still, he seems quite charming."

"Look at that man's muscles," said a man in the crowd. "What I wouldn't do for muscles like that."

" _They're all amazing,"_ thought the citizens who watched Vlad and his crew walk towards Big Mom's castle.

As they walked, Vlad sensed someone. Someone with a powerful will. He looked to see a man nearly as tall as Paul sitting in a tree. The man had short red hair, a muscular body, and a scarf to cover his face. He and Vlad made eye contact.

That was bad for the man.

Just by looking into his eyes, the man felt fear. One look into Vlad's eyes let him know that Vlad was on a completely different level than anyone in all of Tottoland. He could tell that not even Big Mom would be able to win against him. Even if the entire Big Mom army went against him, he would be the one standing in the end. He was far too powerful to be called a monster.

He was a Devil.

Hoarfen groaned when he saw the castle. "Seriously? Even the castle is a damned cake? Oh for- How is no one on this island dead from diabetes or some shit? And why aren't they nice and fat? Like that little-Hello."

"Oh, Bobbin," Oven said.

"Hello, Lord Oven, boyoyoyoyon. Mama wants me to personally lead them to her, boyoyoyoyon. You apparently have a new assignment. It's time to collect payment from the islands in your turf.

Oven smiled. "Consider it done." Oven then looked back at Vlad with a smirk. "Enjoy the Tea Party, los-"

Oven immediately stopped talking the moment Vlad looked at him with his red eyes. Oven felt overwhelming pressure and fear the moment he looked into those cold, cruel, emotionless... yet beautiful eyes. He didn't think anyone besides his Mama and Katakuri could intimidate him this much with just a look.

"E-Enjoy the party... sir," he said with a bow before walking away.

" _I'd lose,"_ Oven thought as he walked away. _"No matter what I use, no matter what I have, no matter what situation I'm in, I can't beat that guy. He's too strong. No one can beat that..._ _ **thing.**_ _"_

"I do hope you're wrong about that."

Oven's eyes widened in shock before he turned to see Vlad... looking right at him. He looked right into the man's crimson eyes... until Vlad smirked and turned away.

Oven watched as Vlad and his crew walked away, a single thought comes to mind. _"What... IS he?"_

* * *

"Well, at least the inside doesn't reek as much as it does outside," Hoarfen said. "Still, Vlad?"

Vlad bit his thumb and held it out for Hoarfen. The First Mate didn't hesitate to rub Vlad's bloody thumb all over his chin. "Aw, that's the stuff." Hoarfen took a few whiffs. "Man, your scent is addicting."

"I wouldn't do that in front to Mama, boyoyoyoyon. She wouldn't appreciate it."

"Aw, whatever. So, Vlad? When do I get to eat the talking ball?" Bobbin looked back at Hoarfen, knowing full well the Bloody Pirate was talking about him.

"Not here or now. We didn't come here to start a war. We're just here to answer an invite. Nothing more. Don't do anything that might cause an unnecessary headache."

"Tch. Sure. Whatever you say, Vlad." The group continued to follow Bobbin... until Hoarfen started to sniff the air. "Hm? That smell. . . . No way. It can't be."

"Oh, Bobbin."

"Ah! Pudding! It's good to see you!"

Hoarfen looked to see a beautiful girl.

"Hm? Are these people guests?"

"Yeah! They've been invited to Mama's Tea Party today, boyoyoyon."

"Oh, I see." Pudding then turned towards the guests. "I do hope you en-" Pudding was silenced... when Hoarfen appeared before her before anyone realized it. Even Bobbin was shocked.

The moment Pudding looked into those glowing, ice blue orbs was the moment she felt death staring into her very soul. She could tell that this creature was looking at her as one thing: food. Nothing, not even her own mother, made her feel this much terror.

" **A triclops."** Pudding jumped at both Hoarfen's bloodthirsty voice and the fact that he knew what she was. **"It has been... far... far... FAR too long since I've seen one of your kind."** Hoarfen sniffed the air around Pudding, making her even more frightened. **"You may be a half-breed."** Pudding's visible eyes widened in shock. **"But... I'm sure you're every bit as delicious."** Hoarfen then opened his mouth, showing off his fangs... and the saliva actually dripping off his palate.

Pudding was frozen with terror. She was barely even able to squeak in fear. She desperately wanted to run away, but her body wouldn't listen to her.

" **Hoarfen."** Both he and Pudding jumped at the voice that actually seemed to lower the very temperature of the area. So cold. So cruel. So inhuman. The two rigidly looked towards the owner of the voice.

That's when Pudding saw a truly hellish site... in her eyes.

Vlad was just standing there, but Pudding could see it. She saw his limitless bloodlust. His boundless evil. His immeasurable brutality. He was power incarnate. Evil given flesh. Now, Pudding could say... that she has truly seen the Devil.

" **I have said it before. Do NOT cause any unnecessary trouble. Let's go and get this foolish Tea Party over with."** With that, Vlad continued to walk, followed by his crew.

Bobbin would have usually tried to kill anyone who would insult the Tea Party, but he was no fool. He knew when he was totally outmatched. Besides... he was too busy trying to stop his body shaking from fear.

Hoarfen looked at his captain before looking back at Pudding, who jumped at the sight of his hungry eyes. "If it wasn't for Vlad, honey. If it wasn't for him." Hoarfen then got closer to Pudding, making the girl turn her face as tears welled up in her eyes. She shut her eyes, just waiting for something to happen. Then, she felt a quick, wet tap on her cheek before she heard what sounded like wind.

When she opened her eyes, she saw that the entire group was gone. She fell to her knees, terror gripping her entire body. She touched her cheek to feel a single wet spot. She knew what it was. "He... tasted me."

She then looked down... and saw the ice. She looked towards the direction of where they were headed and saw a path of icy mist following it. "What... _ARE_ they?"

* * *

"Well," Bobbin said as he opened a door. "Here we are, boyoyoyon."

The crew walked in.

Tanya groaned. "So much sweet shit."

"Welcome!" They all looked to see a thin and tall man with a very long tongue, holding a lollipop as tall as him. "It's an honor to have you here, Captain Tepes, lick."

"Eldest son of the Charlotte family, Perospero, I assume?"

"Indeed, lick! It's an honor to be known by one such as yourself, lick," the eldest Charlotte said with a bow.

"One such as myself. I have a few questions about that, but first, where is Linlin?"

Perospero then looked up at Vlad with a glare. "Do not dare to address Mama in such a rude tone."

"Was that a threat, **boy**?"

Perospero immediately regretted his remark when Vlad unleashed a malicious aura. Perospero felt like he was before a truly horrifying power. It was even greater than his mother's, which he thought was impossible. He didn't even feel like he was in front of a king with this man. He felt like he was before something even greater than that.

He felt like he was before a god. No, before the Devil.

"Don't threaten our guests, Elder Brother." Everyone turned to see an extremely tall, yet beautiful woman. "I am Smoothie. We have a lava rock, an escapee from Impel Down's Level Five, and a white rhino. Which would you like?"

Vlad looked at the beauty for a bit. "Let's make it more interesting."

"Oh? Would you like all three?"

"No." Vlad then walked forward... and stuck out his right arm. "Try juicing me."

"Oh. That is more interesting. I am quite curious about the flavor of the most dangerous man in pirate history... or should I say history itself... Dracula."

Vlad's eyes began to glow, and his aura surged... making even Smoothie's handshake. She looked down at the appendage, honestly shocked that she was shaking.

"If you know what's good for you, you will **never** address me as that. Now, don't you want to try this challenge?"

Smoothie looked at the powerful man... before smirking. "I do." She then grabbed the pirate's arm and tried to twist. "What?" She tried to twist again. "T-This isn't possible. Not even armament should be able to protect you."

"Oh, apologies." She looked at the smirking Vlad. "Let me just relax my muscles. Now try it." Smoothie looked at Vlad before complying. She was now able to juice his arm. She was honestly surprised at how much the now husk of an arm was able to be juiced for. "I'll let you take the first sip."

Smoothie looked at Vlad before taking up the offer. She lifted the glass and took just a single sip. Her eyes popped open in amazement.

 _"W-What is this? So smooth, yet so strong. The flavor is absolutely indescribable. I've never drunk anything so perfect, and I once juiced one of Kaido's old Calamities. It's... as if I got to taste the nectar of the gods themselves."_

"Is it good," Vlad asked.

When Smoothie came to her senses, she realized the glass was gone and looked to see that Vlad was now holding it. He then took a sip. "Hm. So that's what I taste like. Odd."

"Mind if I take a sip," Hoarfen asked. Before Vlad could answer, Hoarfen took the glass and drank it. "Whoa. Not bad. Kinda wanna know what the meat tastes like," Hoarfen said as he looked at Vlad's arm. "By the way, you gonna do something about that?"

Vlad just looked at Hoarfen before he looked towards the Impel Down prisoner, making the man flinch. Before anyone could blink, he was right in front of the man. He then moved the prisoner's head before biting into his neck. The man screamed as he started to become a husk. When he was nothing more than a mummy, Vlad stepped away from him and looked down at his arm.

It started to return back to normal in just a matter of seconds. Vlad lifted his arm and flexed his fingers before looking back at his First Mate. "Better?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, Mutt. Hand over the Vlad." Before Hoarfen could retort, Tanya took the glass and took a sip. "Whoa. Damn, that's good."

"Is it, now," Jack asked as he took the glass. He took a sip. "Oooh! Vladdy! You're absolutely exquisite!"

"I suppose I am next," Medusa said. She allowed Jack to hand over the glass and took a small sip. She moaned in pleasure. "Heavenly."

"Guess the rest is mine." Medusa handed over the glass to Paul, who finished the rest of the drink. "Damn. Booze has got nothing on you, Vlad."

"Thanks. Now, are we the only guests here or something?"

"Not quite." The crew looked to see a bird-man in a top-hat walk towards them. Behind him was a tall man in a purple suit, wearing sunglasses, had a scar underneath his sunglasses, and was smoking a cigar. Next up was a beautiful, blue-eyed woman with short blonde hair and a hat with a rose on top. Next came a man with a sort of lion's mane hairstyle, a mask, and a scythe. After him was a drunk looking man carrying a bottle, who had a handlebar mustache and an overly joyous look on his face. He poured the liquor in his bottle down his throat as he walked. The final man looked like an everyday pirate. He was dumb enough to glare at Vlad and his crew.

The bird walked up and bowed courteously before Vlad. "My name is 'Big News' Morgans, President Of the World Economics Journal. It's an honor to be before a man once considered to be a god." Morgans' head was down, and his eyes were closed, so he didn't see Vlad's gaze harden at the mention of his past.

"So this is the legendary Bloody Devil?" Vlad looked up to see the man smoking a cigar walk up. He blew out some smoke. "You look even stronger than the legends state. They don't do you justice. My name is Du Feld, but most people know me as the God of Fortune."

"Or as the Loan Shark King, correct?"

"Heh. So the biggest legend here knows my legendary title, huh? What an honor. I think we can do business, Mr. Vladimir."

"I doubt that. Unless of course, you wish to hire some of my men for some... collecting."

Du Feld chuckled. "I like you, sir. We really will do some good business after this."

"Oh, my! Wow! Tanya!"

Tanya looked towards the voice. "Geh. Stussy."

The lovely woman walked over towards the Head Chef of the Bloody Pirates. "It's been too long, sweetie. You look as beautiful as ever. How's the rest of your crew?"

"Dead. You know this."

"Oh. That's right. You killed them. Still, you could have at least saved me one. They would have made beautiful additions to the Pleasure District. The offer applies to you as well, honey."

Tanya looked at Stussy with a blank gaze before walking up to her and moving towards her ear. "If you ever make that offer to me again," she started whispering. "I'll reveal your little secret to Big Mom, CP-0."

Stussy looked at Tanya, but there wasn't a hint of fear or surprise. "Ooh, scary," she whispered back. "But do you really think I'll give you the chance? I could kill you whenever I want."

"No, you can't. I grew a lot stronger since our last fight."

"So did I."

"But you don't have Vlad on your side."

"Oh? Relying on him, are we? I can still take your life before he finds out who I am."

"Oh, don't worry." Stussy's eyes widened before she turned to see Vlad looking right at her. "I already know... now."

Stussy was shocked. She then heard Tanya's chuckle. "Never underestimate the hearing of the Devil, Queen Whore." She walked away after whispering that last bit. Stussy then glared at the retreating pirate.

She then looked at Vlad, who was looking back at the rest of the guests. _"He's every bit as much of a monster as the reports stated. No wonder Sengoku is afraid of him"_

"That, and a few other reasons."

Stussy's eyes widened again. _"His Observation is advanced enough to read minds?!"_

"Yup." Stussy glared at the pirate captain, feeling absolutely powerless against him.

"Druggy! Oh, it's been far too long, love," Jack said as he hugged a laughing Drug Peclo.

"Jack, you ageless madman! I've missed you! Your work has always been so interesting."

"Oh, thank you, love! It's always nice to meet someone who appreciates the arts. How has that artistic job been treating you, Mr. Major Undertaker."

"Hah! After you and Mr. Tepes showed up, it's gotten even more interesting! I recognized your work the moment I saw the first corpse! GLORIOUS! And to see that some of the bodies were actually eaten! Now that was a sight to behold!"

"Oh, little Hoarffy is the one to thank for the eaten artwork."

"That so!? Boy!"

"Hah?! The hell are you calling boy?! I'll eat you alive, you lion looking asshole!"

"Hah! I like him! I hope you send me more corpses, my boy!"

"Tch. I'll send you the scraps."

"Glorious! This world has been in need of people like you and your little friend, Rippy!"

"Oh, don't I know, Druggy! The world has been so devoid of art. I plan to remedy that."

Drug Peclo laughed at that. "I hope you do, old friend."

Paul watched Jack and Peclo talking until he heard someone hiccup. He looked down to see the drunk old man. "It's been a while, Phemus."

"Giberson. Indeed, it has."

"And I see your muscles haven't gotten any smaller," Giberson said as he patted Paul's arms. "And you've got that famous hammer of yours with you! I could definitely use those arms."

"And what do you mean by that?"

Giberson chuckled. "I'm in need of some new warehouses. And who better than the former captain of Blacksmith Pirates, Cyclops Paulie Phemus, himself?! So what do ya say?! Care to let me hire ya?!"

"I'd have to speak to Vlad, first."

"In that case..." Paul looked to see the most pirate looking man walk towards him with the same glare he had before. "I'd like to hire the legendary blacksmith myself."

"Hm. Let me guess, you need some new, faster, and stronger ships to transport some of your goods, Umit?"

"What else would I need to hire you for, Phemus."

"Watch your tongue. You forget that I can crush you with just my pinkie." Paul and Umit then glared at one another.

"That's enough, Paul." Paul and Umit looked towards the voice, and they both shivered. Vlad's crimson, no-nonsense eyes tend to do that.

"Y-Yeah. No problem, Vlad. I'll just enjoy the Tea Party or something."

"Or at least try," Vlad said as he looked away, a bored expression on his face.

Paul sighed. "Yeah. Definitely, try," he said as he walked away, looking for something to at least want to try.

None of the Bloody Pirates were big on sweets. Vlad only eats them on occasion. Hoarfen is a total carnivore, especially since he's a cannibal. Tanya is arguably the most tolerant. She does make sweets on their island, after all. Jack actually likes sweets. Tanya may be the most tolerant, but Jack is the one who enjoys sweets the most. Medusa isn't much of a sweet eater at all. The most sweets anyone has seen her eat was a chocolate covered strawberry. She prefers fruit over chocolate any day. Paul... just plain hates sweets. He can't stand them at all.

Vlad looked around and saw some random people that weren't as influential as the group his crew spoke to. "So, is this all of the guests?"

"Not quite." Vlad looked to see Perospero walking towards him. "Mama also invited a very well known organ dealer named Jigra. Unfortunately, he was foolish enough to send this." Perospero held out a letter towards Vlad.

He took it and read the note. "His mother's funeral. . . . How foolish." Vlad then held out the note... and turned it into the blood. The crimson liquid splashed onto the ground. "As if Linlin would accept such an excuse."

"Lick. You know Mama so well, Mr. Tepes. Speaking of which, Mama should be arriving soon, lick." When Perospero said that, the clock began to toll.

Everyone looked towards the door at the top of the stairs. The door opened to reveal Big Mom herself, with balloons floating off and party poppers being shot. "Everyone! Thank you all for coming all this way!" She then jumped off the stairs and landed all the way to the bottom with a big boom.

She then swung her arms high into the air. "Maaaaamamamaaa! Where ever you look, all you see are sweets!"

"She says that like it's a good thing," Paul whispers to Hoarfen.

"I know, right? I feel like just gutting the closest person. I need the smell of blood and the taste of fresh meat. This place is driving me nuts."

"We just have to hold out a bit longer... I hope," Paul said.

"Think Vlad will get us out of this soon?"

"I truly, truly hope so. I'm going to be smelling like sugar for a week. Ugh."

"Eat! Drink! Enjoy the party to your heart's content! Hm? AAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Everyone jumped when Big Mom screamed, mostly because of the sheer volume. Because of their sensitive hearing, Hoarfen and Tanya covered their ears in anguish, and almost fell to their knees. Others weren't as lucky as the shriek rendered them unconscious. Only one was unaffected.

"My guest of honor! The one person I wanted here more than anyone! Uncle Vladimir!" Everyone looked at Vlad in shock.

The man himself sighed. " Hello, Linlin."

"Uncle Vladimir," Big Mom cried as she ran over towards Vlad. Before anyone knew it, she was hugging him. Her children were shocked... that they weren't hearing any bones break. "I've missed you so much! You haven't changed a bit!"

"And I see you've gotten stronger," Vlad said without a hint of so much as a look of pain. If anything, he looked... natural. Like he's already experienced and gotten used to Big Mom's monstrous strength.

"Oh, I have most certainly grown... but so have you, it seems. You seem even more powerful than when we first met, Uncle," she said as she gently placed the man down.

"Is that so?.. Shame. Back when we first met, I thought you would have the potential to kill me. You've just told me I was wrong."

Big Mom sighed. "I'm truly sorry, Uncle Vladimir. I know how much you wanted to be killed. If only that worthless LOLA HADN'T RUN OFF ON HER WEDDING," Big Mom roared before she smashed a candy statue with her bare hand without even realizing or even caring.

"THAT WORTHLESS LITTLE MAGGOT! IF SHE HAD GONE THROUGH WITH IT, I WOULD HAVE HAD THE ULTIMATE MILITARY POWER! I WOULD HAVE BEATEN KAIDO, RED HAIR, AND EVEN WHITEBEARD! I WOULD HAVE EVEN BEEN THE KING OF THE PIRATES BY NOW!"

That last roar shook all of Whole Cake Island.

Big Mom panted before she looked back at a neutral Vlad, who, unlike everyone else, was completely unaffected by her roars of rage. "But, most importantly of all... I would have had the power to kill even you, Uncle. I would have been able to fulfill your request. I would have been able to end your immortality."

"Would you now," Vlad asked as he used his powers to grab a glass from the tray of a now unconscious waiter. He took a small sip of the sweet wine. "Tell me, what was this marriage that would have made you seem powerful enough to take down even the Navy if you wanted to?"

"Hahaha. Maaamamamama. Yes. You're right. Had the marriage been successful, not even the Navy would have been able to challenge me. That selfish Lola was supposed to marry the Prince of the Giants, Loki." Vlad was about to take another sip but stopped immediately when Big Mom said that, his eyes shadowed. The other Bloody Pirates had shadowed eyes as well.

"I would have had the giants as a family! I would have had the ultimate army under my command! I would have been invincible, Uncle Vladimir! Not even you and your god-like power would be able to beat me! No one could! The world would have been in the palm of my hand by now if Lola hadn't been such a worthless, rebellious, brat!" Big Mom started panting after her rage-filled rant.

"Hm... Hnhnhn."

"Eh?" Big Mom looked down and saw something she has never seen before. Vlad smiling. "Uncle Vladimir?"

"Hnhnhnhnhn. Hmm-hehehehehe. Heh-hahahahah. Haaahahahahahahaha! Vlaaaaa-hahahahahaha! Giants! Of course! It's always giants!"

"Awooooooooooo-hahahahahahahaha," Hoarfen laughed alongside his captain.

"Nyahahahahahahah! Cheta-hahahahahahahah," Tanya also began to laugh.

"Ja-hahahahahahah! Rippapapapapapa," Jack also laughed, buckling over.

"Ssssssssssahahahahaha," Medusa laughed.

"Cyyyyycohohohoho," Paul laughed.

All of the Bloody Pirates were now laughing, catching everyone's attention. Hearing them all laugh... was actually quite terrifying. They looked like a group of laughing demons, with Vlad looking like a laughing Devil.

"U-Uncle Vladimir? What's so-"

"Giants. They seem to be everyone's trump card. Even ours. Right?" Vlad, with glowing red eyes, turned towards, "Jack?"

Everyone looked at Jack and shivered. His eyes were glowing soulless white. "Indeed, Vladdy. Once Project Typhon is complete, we will have the ultimate Chimera in our possession."

Stussy had a curious look. _"Chimera?"_

Morgans looked excited. "Oooh! What is this Chimera? It sounds like big news!"

"Big news? Oooooh, my dear, precious Morgy, it's far more than big news. It will be my masterpiece. The greatest piece of art I have ever created."

"Guigigigui. That's quite the claim, old friend. I've seen your work," Peclo said. "All of it seems to be works of art worthy of a museum. How could you possibly surpass any of that?"

"Because, my dear Druggy, this creation will astound the entire known world, both Underground and in the very Heavens. Once Typhon is complete," Jack then took out a knife and carved the world out of a giant apple and caught the well-made sculpture. "The entire world will be in the palm of my hand. It will bring about glorious destruction, leaving more and more artworks in its glorious path. The entire world will be its canvas."

Jack then lifted the fruit. "And should it chose so," he then crushed the fruit into juice. **"It can wipe the canvas clean. My magnum opus will be invincible! No force on this Earth could ever hope to defeat it! And, of course, it's most important function can** **be realized. It will be able to kill even Vladdy."**

Big Mom was quiet for a bit... before she smiled. "Is that so? In that case, you would have enough power to rule over the world like a god, standing above even a king."

Jack looked at Big Mom with his mad smile for a bit... before it popped back into a sweet and innocent smile. "I suppose I will, Mrs. Mom."

"Big Mom will do just fine. So, Uncle Vladimir?"

"Hm?"

"How about you marry one of my daughters?"

"Pardon?"

"It would join our two crews together. My family and your Chimeras would make an invincible army. We'd find the One Piece in no time after we conquered the world. What do you say? I'd offer my daughter, Smoothie's hand in marriage for you. A man as powerful as you deserve a woman just as strong."

"Not interested," Vlad answered immediately.

"Then what about one of your crewmates? I'm sure that young, blue-haired man wouldn't mind marrying my Smoothie."

A crash was heard. Everyone looked to see that Hoarfen had heel dropped the table he was at into splinters. "Don't fuck with me, hag! Are you really gonna say with a straight face that you've forgotten me?"

"Hah? Should I know you?"

"Well, to be fair... that son of yours... Cracker, was it?" Big Mom's eyes widened. Seeing that made Hoarfen smirk. "He would know me more than you."

"It was you," Big Mom said menacingly. "You were the one who gave that nasty scar to my son. He was one of my _favorites._ And you put a scar on his face. Even his puppets have that scar."

Hoarfen snickered. "I'll never forget the day I gave him that beauty."

Hoarfen then remembered how he first fought Cracker while he was still a rookie on Kaido's crew. His first slash tore off the armor's torso completely, revealing a shocked Cracker. The second slash, with Hoarfen grinning madly, gave Cracker his famous scar. Hoarfen howled in laughter as Cracker screeched in agonizing pain.

Hoarfen sighed in the content of the memory. "Good times. Good times."

Big Mom snarled at him. "There's no way I'd marry any of my daughters to you, Kaido reject."

Hoarfen's eyes went dark. "Hey, granny." He then looked right at her with a glowing orb, allowing his aura to explode. Many of the guests felt like they were about to lose consciousness. Others felt like they were freezing. "You want me to eat you?"

"Hoarfen, stand down."

Hoarfen looked at Vlad before glaring back at Big Mom. "Tch. She probably tastes like diabetes, anyway."

Vlad looked at his First Mate before turning back at a still fuming Big Mom. "That goes for the rest of you." Everyone, even the Bloody Pirates looked at Vlad in confusing. "Stand down. Now." Nothing happened. "You might as well reveal yourselves now... Stealth Pack."

In a few moments, various Chimeras appeared... each holding a weapon pointed at Big Mom, with a few exceptions. Perospero got a shock when he looked down to see a sword at his neck. Smoothie was surprised to see many of the Chimeras around her, pointing either swords or guns at her. In fact, each of Big Mom's children was surrounded by Chimeras, with Katakuri himself being the only exception.

At first, the guests thought they were surrounded by Zoans until they realized there was more than one of the same creature, which has never been done before. Some were even more afraid, since they thought some of the Chimeras were Fishmen, and they actually had Fishmen slaves.

"Chameleos," Vlad called out.

A Chameleon Chimera appeared before Vlad by deactivating his camouflage ability. He was kneeling before the powerful pirate. "Sir."

"I have no such order for you to follow me or the other Core Members, let alone assign you to assassinate Linlin."

"I know, sir. It was my personal decision."

"Explain."

"Big Mom is one of the most dangerous... and underhanded pirates. No one wanted to risk your safety."

"My safety? Chameleos, have you forgotten the ultimate goal of the Chimeras?"

All could hear the sound of Chameleos's hand tightening. "I... have not, sir."

"Then you should know that my safety is of no importance. If anything, it would possibly fulfill your ultimate mission, and place your fate back into your own hands."

Chameleos then looked up at Vlad with pleading eyes. "But sir-!"

Chameleos was silenced when Vlad lifted his hand. "However, you have shown great loyalty to me. A true soldier must have absolute loyalty to those he fights alongside, and those he fights for. As such, you are forgiven for this."

Chameleos looked at Vlad with shocked eyes before they welled with tears. He then bowed before him once more. "Thank you, my captain!"

"Hm. Return to the island at once. As punishment for this indiscretion, you will be placed on guard duty for the next week."

"Whoa, that's cruel," Hoarfen said. "It's one of the most boring posts a fighter can get! They don't even get to participate if they see an unknown ship. They just warn the Protector Packs! Man, that's evil."

"It's a punishment, Hoarfen."

"Damn right, it is."

"We will be on our way, sir." When Chameleos said that, all of the Stealth Chimeras vanished. Not a sound was heard in the next few moments.

"Well, that's enough. We're leaving."

"Sir, yes sir," all of the Bloody Pirates said.

"Wait a minute, Uncle Vladimir! The party is just beginning!"

"Oh, I've already had my fill. I've gotten more than enough entertainment. Oh, but I never gave you a gift, did I?" Vlad then turned towards Big Mom. "Tell me, do you know a man named Judge Vinsmoke?"

"Ooh," Morgans said. "He's the leader of the Evil Army, Germa 66."

"Ah, so he went through with it after all. When I met him when he was but a lad, I saw great ambition in his eyes. I thought he'd go for greatness. You wanted my crew to join yours through marriage so you could find out more about my Chimeras, right, Linlin?"

"Yes, Uncle Vladimir. Not even I was able to sense your soldiers. I would love to have an army like that under my command... but I know what your gift is. You wish to advise me to have the Vinsmokes marry into my crew."

"Giving you control over this Germa 66."

Big Mom smiled. "An excellent gift, Uncle. You were always a brilliant man. I honestly hope you one day reconsider marrying into my family. I could use both your power and your guidance."

Vlad chuckled. "We shall see. Let's go." With that, the Bloody Pirates left the Tea Party.

* * *

They were now on their way to the Crimson Palace.

"Hey, Vlad, why don't we just attack that fat bitch? We've got plenty of Chimeras," Hoarfen said with his hands behind his head.

"We may have the numbers, but we don't have the experience. What's more, the army is still incomplete. We have many positions left open. For example, the Serpents still don't have an Alpha Pact Leader," Vlad stated as he looked at Medusa.

The beauty giggled nervously. "Apologies, captain. I had thought I found an ideal candidate with King Cobra, but he does not show the required skills in leadership you desire."

"Fret not, My dear Meddy. There are still many more Serpent-Type Chimeras to create."

"The fact remains that many of the Chimera Packs lack leadership. Unfortunately, filling all of the positions may take many more years. Decades, even. As such, we are not yet ready. Until then, we must be patient, and continue to observe the world without us being revealed."

"Then we should do something about 'Big News' Morgans," Paul said. "That fool won't keep his mouth shut about us or the Chimeras."

"Neither will the Queen Slut," Tanya said.

"We have nothing to worry about from them," Vlad stated. "They've seen our power. They've seen the capabilities of the Stealth Pack, our greatest Assassination Chimeras. They would be fools to reveal anything about us. Besides... I left a reminder on each of them."

* * *

At the Tea Party, Morgans was walking away from a group conversation, lost in thought.

 _"The legendary Bloody Devil, Count Dracula, and the Prince of Darkness has returned; and with a devastatingly powerful army at that. His very existence alone is big news! I am so happy I was invited to this Tea Party."_

He was about to take a piece of cake from an unoccupied table when he winced from a sharp pain. He looked at his hand to see nothing out of the ordinary... until something started to seep out of it.

Morgans' eyes widened in shock and horror when he saw a skull with fangs and crossbones made of his own blood appear on his hand. He knew immediately who it belonged to. "Vladimir." When he said that name, the mark disappeared. Any thoughts he had about revealing Vlad's return, his crew, or his army was dashed in an instant.

* * *

Stussy was laughing at a joke she heard from someone in the group she was talking to when she felt a pain in her hand. She looked at her palm and received a shock when the same mark on Morgans appeared on her. She stared at it in shock before it turned to anger. The mark then disappeared, making her clutch her hand in anger, knowing she was now at Vlad's mercy.

"Ms. Stussy?" She gasped a bit before looking at the guest who called for her. "Are you all right?"

"Oh, just fine," she said convincingly.

But in her heart, she was saying these words with absolute hatred: _"Damn you, Vladimir Tepes."_

Both she and Morgans got the message.

* * *

The crew prepared to set sail for their home.

"Wonder how that Vinsmoke marriage will work out," Hoarfen said.

"I'm sure we'll find out one day. For now, we set sail for home."

"Aye, captain." With that, the Bloody Pirates went back to their island.

* * *

 **Omake:**

In one of the bars of the New World Base's town sat a Lion Chimera. He looked like a hybrid Zoan, the only human part of him being his lower half.

"This seat taken?"

He looked to see a Tiger Chimera. He looked far more human. He still had his human face but had the tiger stripes on his cheeks. He had long hair that reached his waist, and a very muscular build. He had the arms of a tiger, with his claws actually glimmering with the slightest touch of light. "No. Take it, Tigre."

"Thanks, Leo." Tigre then sat down. "I'll take the usual."

"Right away," said a normal human male in his late fifties. He prepared the drink and gave it to Tigre. Tigre drank half of the glass in one gulp and sighed in satisfaction. "Penny for your thoughts," he said as he looked at his drink.

Leo was quiet for a bit. "We should be running this island." Tigre just looked at his friend. "Think about it: there are way more Chimeras than humans, so why are we following orders from a guy who isn't even a Zoan? Hoarfen, no, Tanya should be the leader! Not some pretty boy."

"That 'pretty boy' is the most powerful being on this island. It's why he's the leader. It's why we're under his rule." Tigre took another sip of his drink. "I wouldn't call it a dictatorship. He still gives us a choice. I'd say it's more like a military rule where the strongest gets to run the show."

"Then we should be running the show. The Chimeras are the strongest beings on this island."

"What about the Core Members of the Bloody Pirates? Jack? Paul? How about Hoarfen or Tanya themselves? They all follow Vlad for a reason."

"I don't care what their reason is. He shouldn't be leading us. He's too soft for a pirate. He actually shows mercy. Remember that stooge for that fat noble?"

"You mean the child that Captain Vladimir allowed to live since he was nothing more than a slave?"

"DON'T CALL THAT LOSER A CAPTAIN IN FRONT OF ME! HE SHOULD HAVE GUTTED THAT LITTLE SHIT!"

Tigre looked at his growling friend before finishing his drink and pushing the glass forward, which was his way of asking for a refill. "Vladimir makes his decisions the way he sees fit. It's how he is."

"Screw that. The next time I see him, I'll skin him alive."

"Will you, now?" Whatever chatter was happening in the bar ceased entirely. Leo and Tigre both felt a cold shiver. Everyone recognized the voice. They all looked behind them to see their leader. Their captain. The most powerful man on the island. Their king.

"C-Captain Vladimir," Leo said with a shaky voice.

"Well, you've seen me again, Leo. Are you going to skin me alive now?"

Leo shook, which surprised him. Truth be told, he has only seen Vlad once, and the man was standing on a balcony while Leo was participating in a mock battle that he won. He didn't think Vlad was anything special when he first saw him.

But now, with him standing right before him, he could feel his awesome power. Just being near him felt like an overwhelming pressure. It took nearly all of Leo's willpower to not just bow before Vlad. His lion instincts screamed out to him.

This man was King.

"N-No, sir," Leo said with his head down.

"Hm... Shame."

Leo was confused as he looked up at Vlad. "What?"

"Do you not remember the ultimate goal of the Chimeras?"

"The ultimate goal?"

Leo honestly had no idea what Vlad was talking about. When the Bloody Pirates found him, he was just an unjustly convicted man running away from the law. He was accused of killing the granddaughter of a highly regarded businessman, only because he was found at the scene first. It was only made worse for him since he had a reputation for being notorious delinquent at the time.

He was hunted relentlessly and grew to hate his home island. So, when Jack found him and offered him the power to get his revenge, he jumped at the opportunity. By the time his surgery was completed, they had already found the real killer.

But it was too late.

Leo's hatred had festered, and he wished to slaughter each and every last person on the island. So, he did. When he returned, he expected to be ostracized and banished from the island of the Bloody Pirates. The last things he expected to see and hear were smiles and praises. He was proud to be a Chimera, but he never did care to find out why they were created to begin with.

"The ultimate goal of the Chimeras... is to kill me." Leo was shocked to hear that. Their king created them... to kill him. "So, you would have been justified in trying to kill me. However, should you have failed..." Vlad then released a massive amount of willpower. **"It would have cost you your life."**

It wasn't his Conqueror's Haki, but it was very close to it. It was just pure intimidation. Yet, lesser beings would have still fallen to this powerful presence. Most of the people in the bar were Chimeras, while others were humans who had fairly strong wills because of what they have endured. Still, Vlad's will was beyond exceptional, even for someone like Leo.

Vlad then toned down his intimidation tactic and dug into his pocket. He then placed some berries on the counter. "I'll have the usual."

"This is enough to buy the whole bottle, sir," said the barkeep, completely unaffected by Vlad's will. He was already too used to it.

"That's the idea. I've had an interesting day. Actually, on that note..." Vlad placed a whole stack of berried onto the counter. "I'll take the Core Favorites, full bottles."

"Ah, the trip to Big Mom's territory must have been stressful indeed."

"Hoarfen is still complaining about smelling like sugar. Literally, the very first thing he did was bury his face into the bosom of the first female Canine Chimera that came his way. Said he needed to smell something he actually liked." * **insert an image of Hoarfen burying his face into the very same Golden Retriever Chimera who's wounds he licked, her arms raised and her face glowing as she yells, "Waaaaahh, woof-woof"** *

"Oh, and speaking of Hoarfen, he said he made an order here before we left for Whole Cake Island."

"Ah, yes. It's ready." The bartender then rang a bell.

Out of the back door came a Hippo Chimera carrying a bag. He handed it over to Vlad, who took it without a word as he paid for the package.

"Just to let you know, the meat was captured just yesterday, so it's still quite fresh."

"I see. Hoarfen will like that. He always said that this was the best bar to get the best meat. You don't disappoint."

The bartender bowed. "Thank you for the compliment, sir."

Vlad then turned towards the Chimera. "And you seem to be doing a good job as well."

The Hippo bowed. "Thank you for the words of praise, sir."

With that, Vlad walked towards the exit, holding the package in one hand, and the bottles of booze in the other. "Enjoy the rest of your day." With that, he was gone.

The bar was silent for a bit.

"Whoa. . . . He's even more amazing in person," one Chimera yelled out. When he said that, the rest of the bar started talking about how great their "king" was.

Tigre stared at the saloon-style doors before looking back at his friend. "Still think he isn't fit to rule?"

"Yeah. I do."

"Really?"

"You heard him. He wants to die. He wants to be killed. I plan on becoming strong enough to take him down and become the TRUE king of this island."

"I see." Tigre took another sip. "And how long will that take?"

"You know what? . . . I really don't know. How long will it take... to defeat that DEVIL?"

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Wow, this was longer than I had anticipated, and I didn't even write all the things I wanted to. I can only imagine how much longer it would have been if I had the patience to** **write all of my ideas. Oh, whatever.**

 **So, I might as well warn you guys... Bloody Devil will be going on a bit of a hiatus. I guess you could say that Vlad meeting Big Mom is the sort of season finale. And what do ya know? It's in chapter ten of all numbers! Two more, and I could have easily made an anime season joke. Oh, well.**

 **Anyway, Big Mom was as far as I could think to go. I'd love to have Vlad meet Kaido (especially with Hoarfen with him), but alas, we don't know nearly enough about Kaido or his crew for me to have any ideas. Most of my work is done by trying to integrate it into the actual canon universe. Without the canon plot, I can't do much. So, Vlad and his crew will get to relax.**

 **Of course, in this chapter, I seemed to have given the Chimeras a bit more personality that can be worked with, but I currently don't have any ideas for them yet. If I do, I suppose I could make a Chimera Chapter. You'll just have to wait and see.**

 **Oh, but if any of you want to continue Vlad's story with your own visions, or use him or any of the Bloody Pirates as antagonists in your own fics, please do. Just let me know about it so I can read it myself. It's always nice to read a good story, especially if it's featuring one of your very own OCs. It feels kinda nice.**

 **Well, until next time.**


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